Noida: Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) yet again failed to file its reply in the matter of illegal constructions in parts of the city for the fifth consecutive time and was given an extension of four weeks by National Green Tribunal (NGT).Hearing the application filed by former municipal corporator Rajendra Tyagi, the principal bench directed Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to verify allegations and take action against construction companies allegedly continuing work despite closure orders for violating environmental norms.The case concerns allegations of illegal construction projects in Greater Noida undertaken in violation of environmental norms, including the environmental impact assessment (EIA) notification, 2006, and without obtaining the required consent to establish (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) from the UPPCB, wherever applicable.Counsel appearing for GNIDA informed the tribunal that it is examining details of such projects and sought four weeks to file a comprehensive report identifying such projects.The authority has repeatedly sought time and refrained from sharing information about constructions that exceed the 5,000-square-metre benchmark and are constructed without obtaining consent to operate or consent to establish.NGT clarified in its previous order that the tribunal is only examining the illegal constructions that have come up in violation of environmental norms, especially the EIA notification, 2006, and without CTE and CTO from the UPPCB, if applicable. “Hence, the authorities are required to carry out the requisite exercise only in respect of such constructions that have violated these norms,” the bench ordered.In the same order, the tribunal also asked the applicant to provide UPPCB with the list of such illegal projects, responding to which a detailed list with geotagged photos of 24 projects was handed over.UPPCB issued closure notices to five projects, finding them guilty of violating norms, and also imposed environmental compensation. It also asked GNIDA to provide the approved plan of other sites to ensure whether their built-up area exceeded 5,000 square metres, which makes CTE and CTO mandatory. GNIDA has desisted from sharing that information as well.Closure orders and environmental compensation of Rs 21.4 lakh each were imposed on M/s Ghaziabad Developers Builders (Bhagwati Developers/Dwarka City Colony) and M/s Sahara Enclave/City. M/s PP Estate was issued a closure order along with environmental compensation of Rs 15 lakh. M/s Escon Pride Villa was issued a closure order and environmental compensation of Rs 10.5 lakh. M/s Trilok Puram Greens obtained the required CTE from the UPPCB.Counsel for the applicant, Akash Vashishtha, said that the projects Bhagwati Developers and Sahara Enclave continued construction despite the closure orders issued by UPPCB.Listing the matter for the next hearing on Sept 24, the bench allowed four weeks to GNIDA to file its reply and gave the same time to UPPCB for filing a compliance report.
