New Delhi, Mar 1 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has formed a panel to look into allegations of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land being illegally occupied and used for dairy farming.

The NGT was hearing a petition claiming that some people illegally occupied DDA land in South Delhi and operating dairy farming there and discharging cattle waste in an unscientific manner causing pollution.

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"In our view, the grievance at the first instance can be looked into and examined by the local authorities, for the purpose whereof, we constitute a joint committee comprising Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South and District Magistrate, South who shall look into the complaint, visit the site, collect relevant information and if finds a violation, take appropriate remedial action in accordance with law within two months," an NGT bench said.

The bench of Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel also said the joint committee had to take appropriate steps and after getting the land cleared, fence it and ensure afforestation measures through the forest department removing any further chance of re-entry of encroachers.

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"DDA needs to ensure that vacant lands like the present one are timely used for afforestation etc so as to discourage encroachments. If such vacant lands are originally meant for green belt, then they may be maintained and restored," the bench added.

It said the district magistrate would be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance.

The committee had to submit an action taken report within three months, the green panel said, adding that a copy of the order be sent to the authorities concerned for compliance.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)