The Tripura Human Rights Commission has pulled up district authorities over illegal land filling and unauthorized construction at public water bodies in Agartala, citing violations of environmental and human rights. The Commission issued multiple notices demanding remedial action and reports by August 30, 2025.
The Tripura Human Rights Commission (THRC) has come down strongly on the West Tripura District Magistrate and several other authorities for their continued inaction over alleged illegal land filling, unauthorized construction, and gross negligence of environmental norms concerning two major public water bodies in the Agartala region. The Commission, headed by Justice Arindam Lodh, has issued two separate notices to top officials, demanding immediate remedial steps and submission of detailed reports by August 30, 2025.
The developments stem from two formal complaints filed by the NGO Forum for Protection of Environment and Water Bodies, represented by its president Nikhil Debnath and secretary Jayanta Bhattacharjee. The complaints highlight violations at the Gol Bazar Lake (Maharajganj Bazar) and an underdeveloped Amrit Sarovar near Shalbagan, both of which were reportedly subject to land encroachment, unauthorized construction, and administrative neglect.
Illegal Land Filling and Unauthorized Construction
According to the NGO’s complaint, multiple written representations were made to the District Magistrate, West Tripura, dating back to December 27, 2022, and again on May 7, 2024. The complaints flagged unlawful land filling at Gol Bazar Lake, arbitrary allotment (Touji) of public water bodies by Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), and unauthorized construction activity by the Agartala Smart City Limited (ASCL).
Despite the gravity of the matter, the complainants alleged that the District Magistrate failed to take any meaningful action. In a response obtained through an RTI application dated November 14, 2023, the DM’s office acknowledged that no land diversion permissions had been granted for the ASCL’s construction activities. This, the complainants argued, confirms the unauthorized nature of the developments and reflects serious violations of both environmental regulations and constitutional rights.
Negligence in Amrit Sarovar Implementation
In a second complaint, the forum raised concerns about a poorly constructed water body under the Mission Amrit Sarovar initiative near Oxygen Park in Shalbagan, Agartala. As per the official guidelines, each Amrit Sarovar should span a minimum of one acre with a water holding capacity of at least 10,000 cubic meters, corresponding to a minimum depth of 2.4 meters.
However, the constructed pond allegedly had a depth of less than 3 feet, a far cry from the required specification. The forum sought a formal inquiry into whether the project was implemented correctly within the DM’s jurisdiction. Yet again, no response was received from the DM’s office, prompting the forum to file another RTI. The RTI replies revealed that instead of investigating the matter thoroughly, the DM’s office merely forwarded the complaint to the Border Security Force (BSF), Salbagan, which in turn denied any involvement in constructing or maintaining the Amrit Sarovar.
This lack of follow-up or investigation, even after receiving clarification from BSF, was termed by the complainants as “clear administrative negligence” and a “breach of public trust.” The forum asserted that such conduct not only amounts to official apathy but also violates Article 21 of the Indian Constitution — the fundamental right to life, which includes the right to a clean and sustainable environment.
THRC Steps In
Taking serious note of the complaints, the THRC issued notices to the District Magistrate & Collector of West Tripura, the Secretary of Revenue Department, the Commissioner of Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), the CEO of Agartala Smart City Limited (ASCL), and the Chairman of the Tripura State Pollution Control Board.
In a separate notice based on the Amrit Sarovar complaint, the THRC also directed the Secretaries of the Revenue, Rural Development, and Science & Technology Departments to investigate and submit reports.
The Commission emphasized the need for immediate remedial measures in the public interest and mandated that the concerned departments submit their findings on or before August 30, 2025.
Environmental and Human Rights Violations
In its complaint, the forum highlighted that these cases are not isolated administrative lapses but represent broader violations of human and environmental rights. The issues relate directly to citizens’ access to clean, safe, and sustainable environments — an integral component of their right to life.
The forum also cited precedents from Supreme Court judgments reinforcing the constitutional mandate for environmental protection and the obligation of state authorities to act responsibly in managing public natural resources.
The THRC’s intervention comes as a ray of hope for activists and concerned citizens of Agartala who have long been battling administrative indifference to environmental degradation. With the Commission’s notices, there is growing pressure on the authorities to take corrective action and ensure accountability for lapses that threaten both public resources and constitutional rights.
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The matter now awaits the submission of detailed responses from the concerned departments. What remains to be seen is whether this push from the human rights watchdog will result in actual on-ground rectifications or fade into yet another bureaucratic stalemate.
