Demolition of Asaram's ashram: NGT seeks reply to objections

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday directed the Delhi government to respond within a week on a plea against the compliance report of a committee which had observed that there was no illegal construction at an ashram of jailed 'godman' Asaram Bapu in Karol Bagh in New Delhi.

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Arvind Kejriwal government to respond to the objections by May 25, the next date of hearing.

Last November, the tribunal had directed the Delhi government, police and other authorities concerned to demolish all illegal constructions at Asaram's ashram and submit a compliance report eight weeks.

Later in January, a committee had filed its compliance report stating that there was no substantive change in detailing of the area i.e. 4312 sq. yards of the disputed premises.

The tribunal's direction came while hearing the petition filed by Sanjay Kumar who sought direction for a fresh inspection of the ashram.

Advocate Gaurav Bansal, appearing for petitioner, said that "one of the important members (Independent Member) namely Sunita Narain of the court appointed committee has not signed the compliance report".

"The compliance report is silent on the status of the violations/illegal structures which were directed to be removed in compliance of the tribunal's judgment," he said.

Earlier, a committee constituted by the tribunal had informed it that the ashram in the ecologically-sensitive central ridge of the capital had a "large number" of illegal constructions.

The tribunal had constituted the committee comprising Delhi forest official Tarun Coomar, Union forest ministry official TC Nautiyal and environmentalist Narain to inspect part of the central ridge area.

The committee, which had commissioned detailed survey of the premises, found that there were temporary as well as permanent structures which did not exist in the map of 1996.

The total area is indicated as 4,312 sq yard along with the approach path of 350 ft approximately. The NGT had also asked the panel to comment whether there was any construction recently.