Scramble to comply with green tiles order amid civic backlash

Ludhiana: Civic officials here are under fire for failing to implement the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) orders to use eco-friendly perforated tiles on roads to boost groundwater levels. Despite clear instructions from the local bodies department issued nearly a year ago, the civic body continued installing regular concrete tiles — until the NGT took strict notice of the violation.

In a December 2022 directive, the local bodies department instructed all urban local bodies to comply with NGT guidelines. These included using perforated tiles for better water percolation, landscaping open spaces and roadsides, and developing greenbelts with native plant species. The letter also emphasized removing concrete within a one-meter radius of trees to allow for proper rooting and growth, alongside banning the attachment of signboards, electric wires, or cables to trees.

Sources say civic officials initially halted the use of regular tiles after receiving the letter but soon resumed their non-compliant practices, disregarding the instructions. The situation has escalated as the NGT, unsatisfied with the civic body's recent compliance report, called for a hearing. The Municipal Commissioner is now set to appear before the tribunal to address the issue.

A senior official acknowledged the lapse, revealing that only recently, when an ongoing petition came up in the tribunal at Chandigarh, did the civic body recall the orders. The official further claimed that the local bodies department had refused to offer any assistance in resolving the issue, leaving the civic administration scrambling to correct its past actions.

The negligence has not only delayed much-needed environmental action but also wasted public funds, as officials now prepare to replace the existing concrete tiles with the mandated perforated ones.

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