NGT Takes Suo Motu Cognizance Of TOI Report On Futala Lake, Summons Authorities
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Nagpur: The National Green Tribunal (
NGT
) has taken suo motu cognizance of a TOI report highlighting the deteriorating condition of Nagpur's iconic Futala Lake. The report, published on May 25, 2025, titled 'Futala Lake's charm fades amid neglect and poor maintenance', prompted the NGT's principal bench in New Delhi to initiate action after a hearing on June 5.
The tribunal order, passed by justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and coram member A Senthil Vel, acknowledged the environmental and public health concerns raised in the article, including trash accumulation along the shoreline, foul odour from rotting offerings, lack of functional toilets, and weak enforcement by civic bodies against pollution and religious dumping.
The tribunal has impleaded three key agencies as respondents — Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
They have been sent notices to file their responses on affidavit a week before the tribunal's Western Zone bench at Pune hears the matter on August 6, after obtaining approval from the NGT chairperson.
The order observes that the issues highlighted in the article potentially violated key provisions of environmental legislation, including the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The bench cited the 2021 Supreme Court ruling in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs Ankita Sinha, which validated NGT's power to take up environmental matters suo motu based on credible media reports.
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