₹3.8-crore fine may be levied on builder for illegal water extraction

NEW DELHI: A compensation of ₹3.28 crore should be imposed on a builder in Noida for illegally extracting groundwater and discharging untreated sewage in green belt area, a committee told the National Green Tribunal on Monday.

The committee, comprising officials from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Central Ground Water Authority, told a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel that groundwater is being extracted without obtaining a ‘No Objection Certificate’ from CGWA.

“As per intimation given by applicants, the builder commenced the project on January 29, 2011 and started giving possession of flats from December 2014. The builder has installed two bore wells. The provision of rain water harvesting has been made but it is not operational,” the committee told the bench.

Besides, there is no sewage treatment plant arrangement for 560 flats with 475 families residing in the apartment, it said.

It also informed the bench that a 500kva diesel genset has been installed for electricity supply but a chimney for it has not been set up as per the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board.

The tribunal took note of the report and sought compliance report while posting the matter for hearing on February 11.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by residents of Antrikish Kanball in Sector77, Noida, alleging illegal extraction of groundwater, discharge of untreated sewage water in green belt and storm water drain, operation of diesel generator sets without chimney.