Disposed

Nirmal Singh vs

NGT9 Apr 2026Original Application No. 182/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The National Green Tribunal allowed an original application concerning environmental damages and financial irregularities in a model pond construction. The court constituted a joint committee to inspect the site and submit a report within one month, directing authorities to take corrective action based on the findings.

What did the court decide?

Constitution of a joint committee to inspect the site and verify grievances; directions for remedial action and submission of reports within specified timelines.

Nirmal Singh vs — Environment and Pollution | NGT (2026)

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Item No. 02

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Court No. 2

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BEFORE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

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Original Application No. 182/2026

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Nirmal Singh Applicant

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Versus

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State of Haryana Respondents

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Date of hearing: 09.04.2026

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR TYAGI, JUDICIAL MEMBER HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER

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A pplicant: None for the Applicant.

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ORDER

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Mr. Nirmal Singh has sent by post the present letter petition dated 29.12.2025 to this Tribunal, which has been treated and registered as O.A. No. 182/2026 for exercise of suo moto jurisdiction in view of law laid down

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by Hon’ble Supreme Court in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha, (2022) 13 SCC 401.

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The Applicant has raised grievances regarding gross irregularities in construction of a Model Talab in village Jalalpur, Ambala. The relevant part of the O.A. enumerating grievances of the applicant is reproduced as follows:-

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xxx……………….………………..xxx……………………………………xxx

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“ विषयः NGT के आदेश ों के उल्लोंघन, मॉडल तालाब वनमााण में वित्तीय अवनयवमतता और ग्राम जलालपुर (अोंबाला) में पयाािरण क नुकसान पहुँचाने के सोंबोंध में वशकायत। मह दय,

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वनिेदन यह है की हम ग्राम जलालपुर, वजला अोंबाला, हररयाणा के वनिासी है। इस पत्र के माध्यम से सूवचत करना चाहते है वक हमारे गाुँि में NGT के कायाकल्प वनदेश ों के तहत बनाए जा रहे मॉडल तालाब के काया में स्थानीय प्रशासन और ग्राम पोंचायत द्वारा भारी अवनयवमतता

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बरती जा रही है, ज National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 की धारा 20 (सतत विकास और प्रदूषक भुगतान वसद्ाोंत) का सीधा उल्लोंघन है। मुख्य वबोंदु और कानूनी उल्लोंघनः

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जन स्वास्थ्य और अनुच्छेद 21 का उल्लोंघनः तौलाब के वनमााण के नाम पर गवलय ों और सड़क ों क उखाड़ कर छ ड़ वदया गया है। गोंदा पानी (Grey Water) सड़क ों पर जमा ह रहा है, ज जल जवनत र ग ों का कारण बन रहा है। यह नागररक ों के स्वच्छ पयाािरण में रखने के मौवलक अवधकार का हनन है।

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सुरक्षा मानक की अनदेखी: Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 और NGT के तैलाब सोंरक्षण वदशा-वनदेश ों के अनुसार, तैलाब के चार ों और सुरक्षा घेरा (Grill/Fencing) अवनिाया है। वग्रल न ह ने के कारण यह सािाजवनक सुरक्षा के वलए खतरा बना हआ है।

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सरकारी सोंपवत्त क क्षवत (Public Trust Doctrine): काया क 2 महीने से अधूरा छ ड़ने और वकनार ों क कच्चा रखने के कारण भू-माविया और अिैध कब्जाधाररय ों द्वारा तैलाब की भूवम क काटा जा रहा है। अवधकाररय ों की मौन सहमवत इस भ्रष्टाचार क बढािा दे रही है। 4. वित्तीय अवनयवमतताः मॉडल तैलाब के वलए आिोंवटत बजट का सही उपय ग नहीों वकया गया है। धूरे काम के बािजूट ठेकेदार और पोंचायत की वमलीभगत से िोंड के दुरुपय ग की आशोंका है।

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कानूनी मागाः

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धारा 15 (NGT Act): इस स्थल का तत्काल वनरीक्षण करने के वलए एक स्वतोंत्र सवमवत गवठत की जाए और पयाािरण क हए नुकसान की क्षवतपूवता (Compensation) सोंबोंवधत अवधकाररय ों के िेतन से िसूल की जाए।

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समयबद् कायाः ठेकेदार क आदेश वदया जाए वक 15 वदन ों के भीतर सड़क ों की मरम्मत और तैलाब की सुरक्षा वग्रल का काया पूरा करें।

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कठ र कारािाई: काया में देरी और गोंदा पानी सड़क ों पर छ ड़ने के वलए उतरदायी सरपोंच और सोंबोंवधत विभाग के अवधकाररय ों के खखलाि अनुशासनात्मक कारािाई की जाए। न ट : सोंगलन /-

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गाुँि की उखड़ी हई सड़क ों और जलभराि की ि ट ।

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अधूरे पड़े तैौलाब की बहरें। तस्वीरें

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पूिा में स्थानीय प्रशासन क वदए गए आिेदन ों की प्रवतय ों। “

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English translation made by the Registry of this Tribunal of the

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relevant part of the O.A. reads as under:-

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“Subject: Complaint regarding violation of NGT orders, financial irregularities in the construction of a model pond, and environmental damage in Village Jalalpur (Ambala).

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Respected Sir,

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We, the residents of Village Jalalpur, District Ambala, Haryana, respectfully submit that through this letter we wish to bring to your notice that in our village, serious irregularities are being committed by the local administration and the Gram Panchayat in the construction of a Model Pond being undertaken under the directions and action plan of the National Green Tribunal. These actions constitute a direct violation of Section 20 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (Principles of Sustainable Development and Polluter Pays). Main Issues and Legal Violations:

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1. Violation of Public Health and Article 21: In the name of pond construction, village streets and roads have been dug up and left unattended. Dirty water (grey water) is accumulating on the roads, leading to water-borne diseases. This amounts to a violation of citizens' fundamental right to live in a clean and healthy environment under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

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2. Disregard of Safety Standards: As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and NGT guidelines for pond conservation, safety fencing (grill/fencing) around ponds is mandatory. Due to the absence of such fencing, the site poses a serious risk to public safety.

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3. Damage to Public Property (Public Trust Doctrine): Due to the work being left incomplete for over two months and the embankments remaining unfinished, land mafias and illegal encroachers are cutting and encroaching upon pond land. The silent consent of officials is encouraging this corruption.

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4. Financial Irregularities: The budget allocated for the model pond has not been properly utilized. Despite incomplete work, there is strong suspicion of misuse of funds due to collusion between the contractor and the Gram Panchayat.

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Legal Remedies Sought:

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Under Section 15 of the NGT Act: An independent committee may be constituted for immediate inspection of the site, and compensation for environmental damage may be recovered from the salaries of the responsible officials.

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Time-bound Directions: The contractor may be directed to complete road repairs and install safety fencing around the pond within 15 days.

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Strict Action: Disciplinary action may be initiated against the responsible Sarpanch and concerned departmental officials for delay in work and for allowing dirty water to stagnate on public roads. Note: Enclosures

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1. Photographs of damaged village roads and waterlogging.

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2. Photographs of the incomplete pond.

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3. Copies of earlier applications submitted to the local administration.”

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None has appeared for the applicant today. However, instead of dismissing the application in default we consider it appropriate to proceed further and look into the grievances raised in the application and documents enclosed with the same.

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The averments made in the O.A. Prima facie raise substantial questions relating to environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule-I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

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In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, we consider it appropriate that a Joint Committee be constituted with direction to verify the factual position and to suggest appropriate remedial measures and to send copies of its report to the concerned authorities for taking appropriate action in accordance with environmental laws/norms applicable to the activity in question.

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Accordingly, we constitute a Joint Committee comprising of District Magistrate, Ambala, Regional Officer, Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Ambala and District Development and Panchayat Officer, Ambala and direct the same to meet within two weeks, undertake visits to the site, look into the grievances of the applicant, associate the applicant and representative of the concerned project proponent, verify the factual position and suggest appropriate remedial action by following due course of law and to submit its report within one month to this Tribunal and send a copy of the report to the concerned authorities who shall be bound to take appropriate action in accordance with law and Principles of Natural Justice by giving opportunity of being heard to the concerned project proponent and to submit action taken report within next one month.

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The District Magistrate, Ambala will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance regarding submission of the report of the Joint Committee and filing of action taken reports by the concerned authorities.

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Report by the Joint Committee and action taken reports by the concerned authorities may be filed as directed above before the learned Registrar General of this Tribunal, who shall be at liberty to place the matter before the Bench if further orders are considered to be necessary.

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The District Magistrate, Ambala is directed to ensure requisite compliance and submission of reports within specified period and in case of non-compliance, exemplary costs may be imposed by this Tribunal on the District Magistrate, Ambala and concerned officers/authorities.

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The present original application is disposed of accordingly.

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However, in the eventuality of the applicant or concerned project proponent having any grievances against the report of the Joint Committee or action taken by the concerned authorities, the Applicant or the concerned project proponent may move this Tribunal by way of appropriate proceedings for such further orders as may be considered necessary.

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A copy of this order may be sent to the Member Secretary, Haryana State Pollution Control Board, District Magistrate, Ambala and the District Development and Panchayat Officer, Ambala by email for requisite compliance.

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Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM

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Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM

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April 09^th , 2026 Original Application No. 182/2026 AM

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Nirmal Singh vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Nirmal Singh vs

Case brief

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What did the court decide?

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