Indore: Sirpur Lake Freed From Encroachment; Step Towards Conserving Ramsar Site

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Following the order of the National Green Tribunal, a team of Indore Municipal Corporation along with police removed encroachments and 30 stalls from the catchment area in Sirpur Lake on Saturday morning. A tussle occurred between corporation employees and stall owners during the demolition drive.

However, the police controlled the situation and scattered the crowd. Apart from removing the stalls, the IMC also warned the owners of huts and other constructions made around the lake to remove them within a time limit and warned that IMC will conduct a demolition drive after a few days if the constructions are not removed. According to the IMC officials, there were more than 30 stalls and encroachments, which were demolished with the help of JCB.

Man threatens to kill self, administration controls situation

During the removal of stalls at Sirpur Lake catchment area, disputes and arguments occurred at many places among those affected and the IMC employees. A man tried to stop the movement of the JCB machine in the catchment area by standing in front of it and warned of killing himself if his stall was removed. However, the police team immediately swung into action and took him to the police station.

NGT ordered removal of encroachments

SDM Nidhi Verma said that Sirpur Lake has been declared as a Ramsar Site under which it shall be kept protected from any form of encroachment. A petition was filed in the National Green Tribunal by applicant Rashid Noor Khan. Following this the NGT instructed the Indore collector to clear the encroachments made on the site before November 17.