India Courts Address Forest Land Violations, Stream Encroachment and River Construction

India's National Green Tribunal and courts addressed a range of environmental violations on June 10, 2026, including unauthorised construction near forest land in Chandigarh's periphery, the alleged misrepresentation of a natural stream by Thane Municipal Corporation, and construction within a river floodplain by Maharashtra's Public Works Department in Dhule. Across all cases, regulators are seeking to enforce land use, water resource, and forest protection standards against state and private entities.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change filed a report noting that its 2009 approval to de-list 55,339.95 hectares of Punjab land from the Punjab Land Preservation Act was conditional on the land being used only for agriculture and not for commercial development. Greater Mohali Area Development Authority reported issuing 92 new show cause notices since September 15, 2025 against illegal construction in Chandigarh periphery villages including Mirzapur, Jayanti Majri, and Siswan.

In Thane, an applicant accused the municipal corporation of concretising natural stream 11/E — a perennial watercourse originating in Sanjay Gandhi National Park — by misrepresenting it as a stormwater drain. The applicant argued that covering natural streams with RCC slabs reduces water-carrying capacity, prevents mechanical cleaning, and creates long-term flooding hazards in urban settlements. The case highlights a widespread conflict between urban infrastructure expansion and natural drainage system preservation across Indian cities.

In Dhule, Maharashtra's PWD faces legal challenge over a 230-metre pedestrian bridge on 29 foundation piers in the active riverbed of the Panzara River, within the prohibited flood zone. The applicant argued that the project — including 51 Shaktipeeth temple replicas and 5 small temples — is not essential public infrastructure and violates WRD floodline regulations. An NGT order of April 30, 2026 has stayed construction. The cases collectively reflect persistent enforcement gaps in environmental clearance, floodline regulation, and urban development planning across Indian states.

Key figure — 92 show cause notices issued for Chandigarh periphery violations since September 2025