The National Green Tribunal has sought a status report from the Chief Secretary of Haryana on the unauthorised operation of liquor shops and taverns within green belts in Faridabad.The green body also asked HSPCB to ascertain the period during which violators were operating from the green cover and to impose a pre-dated environment compensation (EC) fine. (HT)The green body also asked the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to ascertain the period during which violators were operating from the green cover and to impose a pre-dated environment compensation (EC) fine.During the hearing on Tuesday in a plea alleging illegal encroachments and operations by around 38 liquor shops and taverns within green belts in Faridabad, the NGT’s principal bench asked the state government to settle jurisdictional disputes among multiple civic bodies and provide a list demarcating the land area under each agency to take action.During the previous hearing in December 2025, the tribunal directed the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) to submit an action-taken report. Taking cognisance of HSVP’s report made public on July 20, the NGT’s bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr Afroz Ahmed directed the Chief Secretary to disclose the ownership of green verges from where vends were operating in the district. The bench observed that the HSVP didn’t disclose the ownership status of several locations from where almost 13 of 38 shops were operating.“HSPCB is directed to ascertain the period during which violators were operating from the green belts without permission and take action accordingly,” Justice Shrivastava remarked.The NGT had asked the Chief Secretary to submit their status report within the next four weeks. HSPCB and Forest Department will file their action taken report (ATR) one week before the next hearing on October 8, it said.The HSVP’s report had disclosed that four taverns were shifted from the green belt to its vacant land, and another 16 were operating from the agency’s land, not specified as green belt in its records.The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) said it removed one vendor in its area of green verges, while two others had obtained stay orders from the district court.The tribunal also sought an explanation from the Forest Department for allowing one wine shop to operate from inside the protected land. Forest officials said the department had demolished two liquor shops, while claiming that inaction resulted due to a diversion proposal permission applied for by the wine shop. “The central authority decides forest diversions. In the meantime, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) should take action,” the bench observed.Officials at the Excise and Taxation Department on Thursday told HT that the number of licensed liquor taverns in Faridabad has fallen from 34 to 19 over the past year. Around 234 wine shops and vends still operate in the district.“During the license granting period, the department defines the geographical limits of an excise zone under the state’s excise policy of 2025-27 and earmarks a prescribed radius around a location within which a liquor shop or vend may be established. It is for the land-owning civic agency to determine the nature of land, its usage and collection of renting fee,” a senior excise official said, requesting anonymity.Officials at the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) launched a drive against unauthorised liquor vends operating from the green belts in November, 2025. “Around four stores were demolished and two were shifted in a dedicated green belt of 51km within the authority’s jurisdiction. No new taverns have been allowed to resurface,” a senior official said, requesting anonymity..