NGT fines Meghalaya Rs 10,000 for failing to respond on forest encroachment case

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on the Meghalaya government for failing to submit its reply in a case concerning large-scale encroachments on forest land across India.

The tribunal, led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel, noted in its order dated October 31 that Meghalaya had not responded to a notice seeking its explanation on the issue. The bench stated that the state neither filed its reply nor appeared before the tribunal despite being duly served.

“We impose a cost of Rs 10,000 upon the state of Meghalaya for not complying with the orders of the tribunal, not appearing before the tribunal and not filing the reply,” the order read.

The directive came after the NGT took suo motu cognisance of a January 2024 PTI report highlighting that around 7,506 sq km of recorded forest area—roughly five times the size of Delhi—had been encroached upon nationwide, according to government data. The tribunal had subsequently sought responses from all states and Union territories.

The NGT ordered Meghalaya to deposit the fine within one week and allowed an additional three weeks to file its reply. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on February 2, 2026.