Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (November 14, 2025)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (November 14, 2025)
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Gurugram extracts groundwater nearly twice the available resource

The annual ground water extraction in the entire Gurugram district of Haryana is 43,262.85 hectare meters (ham) according to the 2024 assessment, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) stated in its reply to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on November 6, 2025. The annual extractable ground water resource is 20,333.39 ham.

This indicates that the district extracts nearly twice the available resource.

Gurugram Urban, according to the 2024 assessment, has a “stage of extraction of 326.52 per cent, indicating that extraction is over three times the recharge”.

The CGWB report said action on illegal extraction rests with the state government/Haryana Water Resources Authority and the district administration. CGWB’s role is technical and advisory, focusing on groundwater assessment, planning and sustainable management. While enforcement responsibility lies with the state, CGWB continues to provide technical guidance and data support for integrated management.

The matter related to depleting groundwater levels in Gurugram. A news item titled Gurgaon a groundwater dark zone, but extraction over 2 times the limit which appeared in the Times of India on August 5, 2025, led to an application being registered suo motu

Bhoj wetland encroachments

The NGT on November 12, 2025, directed the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure removal of encroachments within the Bhoj wetland area.

BMC informed the NGT that it would undertake effective action as regards removal of encroachments. It sought a period of one month to file a detailed comprehensive reply in the matter.

The tribunal further directed BMC to carry out a study with support from the State Wetland Authority and Department of Forest & Environment in order to assess the current ecological status of the Bhoj wetland.

The BMC should undertake a bird census during the winter season to have baseline data for monitoring the same in future, it added.

New encroachments and construction are still happening around the wetland, Rashid Noor Khan, the advocate of the applicant, submitted.

The NGT directed BMC “to verify the facts by visiting the site with the applicant and to take strict action not only against encroachers but also against the concerned officials of the BMC/collector who are not performing their duties sincerely and allowing them to happen again and again”.

The court directed the Bhopal collector to look into the matter personally and to “ensure that the encroachment be removed according to rules and the public property/Bhoj Wetland must be protected”.

The NGT said the issues raised in the application are serious violations of environmental rules including encroachment and discharge of untreated water into the water body, which is recognised as a Ramsar site of international significance.

Notices have been issued against 38 violators for removal of the encroachment, the BMC stated. The matter is pending with the BMC for further action, after providing to the aggrieved an opportunity to be heard.

The NGT on October 7, 2025, had directed the BMC to take necessary steps for removal of the encroachments in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on December 11, 2024, adopting the Space Application Centre Atlas (SAC-ATLS) 2021.

Solid waste disposal in Jaipur

The NGT’s central bench on November 11, 2025, directed the constitution of a three-member committee to look into a complaint of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 being violated in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

The committee would comprise of one representative each from the Urban Development and Housing Department, Jaipur; Collector, Jaipur and Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board. The panel has to submit a factual and action taken report within six weeks.

The application, filed by Sachin Dhaka, said solid waste in Jaipur city is being disposed of by burning instead of disposal according to procedure.

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