Ahmedabad: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought responses from the pollution control boards and the Ahmedabad district collector regarding 37 lakes that were among the 172 waterbodies in the city and have now vanished. NGT’s principal bench took suo motu cognizance of a news report based on a finding by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), which concluded that the waterbodies disappeared primarily because they were not recognised in the statutory development plan, allowing for their encroachment and conversion.NGT also noted the high-level committee’s observation that the total area of water bodies around four major lakes — Vastrapur, Memnagar, Thaltej, and Sola — decreased by nearly 46%. This significant shrinkage is attributed to unchecked urban expansion and the inadequate integration of natural water systems into city planning. A comparison of aerial imagery taken between 2000 and 2022 revealed a significant loss of blue cover in Ahmedabad city. AMC’s report reflected that a lake in the Thaltej area was overtaken not only by a residential society but also by a water distribution centre operated by the civic body itself.After recording these details, NGT stated, “The matter above seems to attract the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974…The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance with environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment.”The tribunal issued notice to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), and the district collector, asking them to file their response by way of affidavit before the Western Zonal Bench of the tribunal at Pune. The replies were sought a week before the next hearing, which is scheduled for Aug 28.Meanwhile, the Gujarat high court has ordered the state authorities to map all the waterbodies across the state – before and after the monsoon.