Encroachments choke Bhopal’s Bada Talab lifeline:347 violations found; rules violated until NGT takes action

Encroachments on Bhopal’s lifeline, Bada Talab, have crossed all limits, tightening their grip from all sides. Government reports have flagged the issue, but action has largely remained on paper. Following a rebuke from the NGT (National Green Tribunal), officials have now begun surveys. Dainik Bhaskar captured the scale of encroachment using drone footage from 200 feet. Houses, Pools Built Right Up to FTL Just eight months ago, a two-storey house with a swimming pool was constructed touching the FTL. The TT Nagar SDM circle team has listed it. Influential individuals, along with establishments like Hotel Jahannuma, Sayaji, Van Vihar and even government constructions, are among the encroachments. See 5 drone images of encroachment in Bada Talab… 20+ Major Violations in 3-Km Radius More than 20 major encroachments have been identified within a three-kilometre radius in Sewania Gond, Bishankhedi and nearby areas. These include fencing, boundary walls, swimming pools and tin sheds built within 50 metres of the FTL. Tourism, Boat Club Also Under Scanner Both private and government encroachments line the lake. Within 50 metres of the FTL, tourism activities, the boat club, Wind and Waves Hotel and parts of Van Vihar have also been listed. 347 Encroachments Identified Across Zones In Bairagarh circle, 220 encroachments have been identified and removal is underway. In TT Nagar, 127 encroachments have been marked and notices issued—59 private and 78 government. A row house linked to a former transport constable’s family is also on the list. Demarcation has been carried out in Sewania Gond, Prempura and nearby areas. Hotels, Shops, Slums on Encroached Land Near Van Vihar, structures include Jock Restaurant, Lahar Restaurant, Winds and Waves, Hotel Ranjit Lakeview, 26 Food Zone shops, Game Zone, Kachra Cafe, Sulabh Complex and Lahar Gym. Over 100 slums along the shoreline are also set to be removed. Demarcation to Fix Lake Boundary Hotels like Ranjit, Torkus, Annatas Garden and parts of Lake House fall within the affected zone. Constructions linked to several individuals have also come under scrutiny. A large portion of Bada Talab in Bairagarh tehsil is affected, with action already initiated. Ground Reality: Rules Flouted Openly Bhaskar reviewed past surveys, NGT petitions and action reports, and visited the FTL. Expert Rashid Noor said no construction is allowed within 50 metres in urban areas and 250 metres in rural zones. However, permanent structures were found right next to FTL pillars—hundreds of them. Farmhouses, Resorts Crowd Lake Edge Large buildings, farmhouses and resorts were spotted in Bhadbhada, Bishankhedi, Gauragaon, Beel village, Sewania Gond and Surajnagar. Despite Bada Talab being a Ramsar site, encroachments have, for years, been removed only on paper. Boundary wall connected to minaret
On Tuesday, when the team reached the area for demarcation, the Bhaskar team also visited there. In Surajnagar, Sewania Gond, where the Ramsar site is located and the municipal corporation’s minaret stands. The boundary wall of the building was connected right to it. 5 months ago, the municipal corporation’s sewage line was also laid here. The road near the minaret has also been filled, which is against the rules. On the other hand, the road from Gouragaon to Beel village also passes through the middle of the pond. Big fraud…two types of pillars found
Land mafia is also active on the banks of Bada Talab, who are promising plots at low prices. They and others have created confusion regarding this boundary. Fraud has also been committed with the pillars that determine the FTL boundary. 5 different types of pillars marking the FTL were found at the site. One of them has BMC i.e. Bhopal Municipal Corporation written on it. The rest are painted white with nothing written on them. These fake pillars are surrounded by encroachments and illegal construction. Why demarcation was started
About five months ago, NGT became strict on encroachment of Bada Talab. At that time, action was merely a formality. In February, MP Alok Sharma held a meeting of officials and reprimanded them. After this, the survey was started again. Environmentalist Rashid Noor had filed a petition in NGT regarding encroachment in Bada Talab. On this, NGT clarified that Rule-4 of Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 will now apply to all water bodies across Madhya Pradesh. Bada Talab is not just a matter of paperwork, but a serious issue connected to Bhopal’s environmental balance. Now sewage is falling into the lake from 41 drains and 227 encroachments have not been removed yet. Know chronologically what has happened so far… First Survey: DGPS survey in 2016, but report did not come forward
In 2016, the Municipal Corporation conducted a DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) survey. This is a technique for accurate land measurement that provides more information compared to GPS. It collects precise data about land boundaries and dimensions. In this survey, the area of the big pond was stated to be 38.72 square kilometers, whereas previously this area was considered to be 32 square kilometers. The report contains FTL coordinates of the pond. Based on these coordinates, boundaries can also be determined on the ground. The ownership rights of private land falling within the pond’s boundary could also be determined, but this report remained buried in corporation files. The report could not be revealed till date. Second Survey: 141 Pillars Disappeared
This year, NGT had directed a survey of Bada Talab. In this, only 802 pillars were found out of 943. Of these, 337 pillars were submerged in water, meaning they were installed before FTL. 141 pillars were missing from the site, but after this, no concrete steps were taken to reinstall the pillars and prevent encroachment. Third Survey: Survey conducted on Supreme Court’s direction, report whereabouts unknown
This year, a survey was conducted following Supreme Court’s directions. The district administration conducted the survey along with MP Lake Conservation Authority, but there is no trace of its report. This report has not come to light yet. Nor has there been any mention in any government document about what happened to this survey. It is said that the report is recorded on a mobile app. Until it appears in documentation, demarcation cannot be done on the ground. CM gave directions 6 months ago, MP said – master plan should be made
While the government is serious about Bada Talab, the negligence of responsible officials is coming to light. About six months ago, CM Dr. Mohan Yadav had given directions in the Urban Housing and Development Department meeting to conduct a fresh survey of encroachment around the lake. Meanwhile, some time ago, Bhopal MP Alok Sharma had advocated for making a master plan for the Upper Lake. He had said that making a master plan would help protect the lake. More than 1300 encroachments were found within 50 meters of the Upper Lake. Only 1 major action in 10 years, no displacement for months
About two years ago, a total of 386 houses were removed from Bhadbhada slum settlement. NGT had ordered the action. This was the only major action against encroachment in the catchment area of Bada Talab in 10 years. Plans were made after this, but they didn’t materialize on ground.