NGT, HC Crack Down on Nullah ‘Cover-Ups’ in Nagpur A day after illegal structures obstructing a natural nullah in East Shankar Nagar came under scrutiny, legal authorities have issued unequivocal directives against covering or building over drains. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Bombay High Court (HC) have reinforced that such actions are illegal, placing the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) under pressure to enforce regulations. A senior NMC official confirmed that civic rules explicitly prohibit covering nullahs within city limits, yet ground realities reveal widespread encroachments, with drains narrowed, built over, or reduced to stagnant water. Legal frameworks leave little room for ambiguity. Under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, nullahs are classified as essential public utilities, and any obstruction or construction over them is strictly prohibited. The HC has repeatedly ruled that encroachments on nullahs cannot be regularized, even if permissions were granted, calling such actions an "abuse of power." The NGT has taken a stronger stance, declaring that covering drains or constructing within their bed or buffer zones is "per se illegal," mandating demolition regardless of prior approvals. The Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) further clarify eco-sensitive flood zones. Areas between the blue flood line (indicative of 25-year flood levels) and the red flood line (100-year flood levels) are designated as restricted or prohibited zones, where construction is heavily regulated or barred. Development within these limits, particularly over natural drains, is largely ineligible for approval.#bombay_high_court #nagpur_municipal_corporation #national_green_tribunal #nullahs
