THE National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed a committee to inspect the Kerwa Dam area in Bhopal and submit a detailed report on its boundaries and alleged encroachments. The team is expected to conduct ground verification on Friday or Saturday after a planned inspection on Wednesday was cancelled at the last moment. The tribunal has directed the committee to establish the final full tank level (FTL) and buffer zone of the reservoir within three weeks. The exercise must take into account available official records, contour and topographical maps maintained by the Water Resources Department, and the reservoir’s elevation. The NGT has specified that drone surveys, satellite imagery, physical inspections and government records should form the basis of the final assessment. The committee must submit a detailed report at the next hearing, scheduled for October 29.

 

Previous inspections identified 33 alleged encroachments in the Kerwa reservoir area, including 18 structures on Government land and 15 on private land. The fresh survey will establish how many of these structures remain at the site and verify their current status. According to earlier records, the reservoir’s submerged area measures approximately 462.150 hectares, with its boundary marked by 1,080 concrete blocks or pillars. The physical verification will also determine how many of these markers remain in place. The inspection is expected to establish the reservoir’s final boundaries and buffer zone and provide an updated assessment of the alleged encroachments. The findings are to be placed before the tribunal at the October 29 hearing.