The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Delhi Public School (DPS), Noida Sector 30, to properly maintain a public park it had adopted and to follow all related rules and conditions.

The order came while the tribunal was hearing a petition by the Sector 30 Residents’ Welfare Association. The petition raised concerns that Gandhi Park, a green belt space given to DPS around 25 years ago for maintenance and development for community use, had been neglected and was now being used as a dumping ground. The RWA also claimed that the school was preventing local residents from accessing the park.

The NGT bench, led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Afroz Ahmad, noted that the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) had formally allowed DPS to adopt the park through a letter dated September 5, 1983.

After reviewing the evidence, the tribunal observed, “There have been intermittent lapses by the school in maintaining the park. Hence, we direct the school to maintain the park properly and comply with all conditions of adoption.”

During the hearing, the applicant’s counsel also mentioned that DPS had placed guards who were restricting public entry. On this, a consensus was reached that NOIDA Authority will deploy its own guards at the park’s entry gate to allow public access. It was also agreed that the park’s opening and closing times would be the same for everyone.

With these directions, the NGT disposed of the application.