The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a news report highlighting the disappearance of 37 out of 172 water bodies in Ahmedabad, citing unplanned urban expansion and encroachments as the primary causes.
The case, registered as Original Application No. 317/2025, is based on a report published by The Indian Express on June 9, 2025, quoting findings by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). The report reveals that several lakes, including prominent ones like Vastrapur, Memnagar, Thaltej, and Sola, have shrunk dramatically &mdash; by nearly 46% &mdash; due to poor integration of water systems in city planning.
A case study of Vastrapur Lake, supported by satellite imagery from 2000 to 2020, demonstrated a significant decline in water spread. Shockingly, a lake in Thaltej was found to be overtaken by both a residential society and a water distribution centre run by the AMC itself.
Observing that these findings may amount to violations under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the NGT has impleaded the Central Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, and District Magistrate of Ahmedabad as respondents.
The case has now been transferred to the NGT&rsquo;s Western Zonal Bench in Pune, with the next hearing scheduled for August 28, 2025. The Tribunal has directed all respondents to file their replies via affidavit at least a week before the hearing.
This development highlights the urgent need for integrating water body conservation into urban planning, especially in rapidly expanding metros like Ahmedabad.
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37 Water Bodies Vanish in Ahmedabad: NGT Takes Note

Unregulated urban development blamed as NGT initiates action on civic report highlighting lake loss

37 Water Bodies Vanish in Ahmedabad: NGT Takes Note

Unregulated urban development blamed as NGT initiates action on civic report highlighting lake loss

July 9, 2025 | 22:10 IST