NEW DELHI (India CSR) The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Shahdara, has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that repeated field inspections could not independently verify the alleged operation of an illegal borewell or water bottling plant at the premises referred to in a petition filed by Anil Kumar. In a status report filed on September 3, 2026, in Original Application No. 309 of 2026, Anil Kumar vs Government of NCT of Delhi & Ors., the SDM, Shahdara, said the premises were found locked during every inspection undertaken by the Revenue Department. The report was filed in response to the NGT’s notice in the matter.
Shahdara district is an administrative and revenue district of Delhi, India, situated near the banks of the Yamuna River.
Status Report Filed After Tribunal Notice Over Alleged Illegal Borewell Water Plant
The status report, filed on behalf of respondent no. 7, the SDM Shahdara, concerns allegations relating to an illegal borewell and water bottling plant at the premises in question. According to the report, the complaint was examined at the subdivision level after it was received. The Revenue Department was directed to undertake field verification of the site. The report does not identify the location of the premises or name the entity allegedly associated with the water bottling activity. The SDM’s submission is limited to the steps taken during the verification process and the observations made by the inspecting revenue team.
Revenue Department Conducted Four Field Inspections Between April And May This Year
The report stated that the Tehsildar, Shahdara, along with revenue staff, conducted field inspections on April 13, April 20, April 21 and May 22, 2026. During each of these inspections, the premises were found locked and inaccessible from outside, according to the SDM. As a result, the officials could not enter the premises to independently check whether a water bottling activity, borewell operation or any other activity was being carried out inside. The status report makes clear that no physical verification of the alleged activity inside the premises could be completed during these visits because of the locked condition of the site.
Locked Premises Prevented Officials From Inspecting Alleged Bottling Operations Inside The Site
The SDM told the tribunal that the alleged water bottling activity and the operation of a borewell could not be independently verified during the inspections. The report stated that the locked condition of the premises prevented the Revenue Department from making an on-site assessment of the allegations. It does not state that officials found an operating bottling plant, a borewell or any other activity during the inspections. Instead, the report records that the verification remained incomplete from inside the premises. The SDM has therefore distinguished between the local information received by officials and an independent physical inspection of the site.
Neighbouring Residents Told Revenue Team That Bottling Plant Had Been Closed Earlier
After the initial inspections, the Revenue Team carried out a further verification of the premises. The site was again found locked from outside, the report said. During a local enquiry with neighbouring residents in the immediate vicinity, residents informed the revenue team that no water bottling plant was presently being operated at the premises. They also said that the water bottling plant had been closed or stopped. The SDM’s report describes this information as the outcome of local enquiry. It notes that the premises continued to remain locked, meaning the officials could not physically verify the status of any activity inside.
Report Says No Current Water Bottling Activity Could Be Independently Confirmed Inside
The SDM stated that the local enquiry indicated that the alleged water bottling activity was not presently being carried out at the premises. However, it added that this position could not be physically verified by the revenue team because the site remained locked. The report said no current operation of a water bottling plant could be observed or independently verified from inside the premises. It does not record a final finding on whether the alleged borewell or water bottling activity had operated at the location in the past. The submission before the NGT therefore records both the repeated inspection efforts and the limitation faced by the officials in accessing the premises.
Shahdara Administration Says It Will Continue Vigilance And Take Lawful Action If Needed
The SDM, Shahdara, said the administration had taken cognisance of the complaint and would continue to maintain appropriate vigilance in the area. According to the report, appropriate action will be taken in accordance with law if any unauthorised activity is found during a subsequent inspection or upon receipt of verified information. The SDM has requested the NGT to take the status report or action taken report on record and pass such further orders as it considers fit in the facts and circumstances of the case.
Source: Status Report/Action Taken Report filed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Shahdara, respondent no. 7, in OA No. 309/2026 before the National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi.
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