The college has been under NGT's scanner for violating environment and wildlife norms after a petition was submitted in October last year by DK Joshi, a member of the Supreme Court monitoring committee, claiming that the college carried out illegal construction work within the national bird sanctuary.

The NGT has issued a notice to the Sharda Group, which owns the college, and the six other respondents including the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, the UP government, State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, UP forest department and Agra district magistrate.

The tribunal had reprimanded the environment ministry during its last hearing (April 8) for the delay in filing its reply and also threatened to impose a fine of Rs 25,000 on officials concerned. Subsequently, the ministry submitted its reply on April 21. The ministry admitted in its affidavit that that the college is inside the sanctuary.

In its reply, the MoEF had said that it had sought a reply from its regional office in Lucknow as well as from the UP principal chief conservator of forest on three issues - whether the college is situated inside the sanctuary area, whether Keetham is a wetland and whether the state government has notified the eco sensitive zone (ESZ) for the sanctuary.

A K Patel, the UP deputy conservator of forest, National Chambal Sanctuary project, had replied that the college was inside the sanctuary.

The ministry's regional office conducted a site inspection on April 11, 2015 and concluded that the land on which the college building is constructed is a cultivated land and that it was purchased from farmers and after change in land use, the college buildings were constructed.

It also confirmed that ESZ for the sanctuary has not been notified. The ministry official stated that he was informed by the UP wildlife warden that Keetham lake has not been listed yet as a wetland, but on the ministry website it is shown as wetland and has been issued a financial grant from the ministry for protection and conservation.

Keetham Lake situated inside the Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, spread across 700 hectares is surrounded by dry deciduous forest. The ambiance provides vital habitat for around 150 species of birds and a number of mammals and reptiles.

While the replies of six respondents in the case have been received so far, Agra district magistrate has been granted one more week to file his reply.

A spokesperson of the Sharda Group said, "We have placed several documents in the court stating that the college is situated outside is the sanctuary. The college is situated on a private land and not situated inside the sanctuary, as it has been alleged."