NGT slaps fine of ₹10 lakh on Hotel Barog Heights

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered demolition of an illegally constructed portion of a hotel at Solan in Himachal Pradesh and imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh for “causing environmental pollution and degrading the ecology”.

The green panel noted that hotel Barog Heights has built up structures which were partially unauthorised and illegal and was running its business without obtaining due permission from the state pollution control board from April 1, 2012 till date.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar directed the hotel to demolish the unauthorised structure within four weeks and pay environment compensation of ₹10 lakh for causing irretrievable damage to the ecology to Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board in two weeks.

“Nothing has been placed on record which shows that the applicant is not an environment offender. There is no evidence to show as to how such a big hotel is dealing with its waste and is treating the sewage generated. Sewage treatment plant (STP) is not of the requisite capacity as the applicant has been adding blocks and blocks of construction with the passage of time without enhancing the capacity of the STP,” the bench observed.

The judgement came on the plea filed by NGO Society for Preservation of Kasauli and its Environs (SPOKE) against hotels causing pollution in the state and constructing structures in excess of their permission.

MEHBOOBA CONVEYED HER CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FAMILIES