GHAZIABAD: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to appear before it in connection with a case related to malls, hotels and restaurants operating without NOCs.
The pollution control board had submitted its status report on Sept 30 last year. On Dec 12, 2023, NGT imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on UPPCB on finding that the status report was incomplete. However, the tribunal waived the fine on March 12 this year, following a mercy plea and assurance by the board that it would comply with all the directives. UPPCB also submitted its latest status report, listing a total of 170 hospitality establishments.
The pollution control body, in the last report, said that of 21 hospitality establishments listed in an NGT petition filed in April of last year, 16 have consent from the UPPCB to operate while the other five were found to be non-compliant and were being issued show-cause foreclosures.
Furthermore, out of 82 other establishments, 24 have the consent to operate while the remaining 58 did not, but the same list is currently pending in the Supreme Court in another matter.
Additionally, a list of 67 more establishments has been compiled by the pollution control body, out of which 30 were issued show-cause notices for disconnection of power and water, and initiation of prosecution and environmental compensation. The rest of the establishments were issued notices for obtaining a consent to operate.
The list of establishments not in compliance included some well known names such as Jaipuria Mall, Aditya Mall, Shopprix Mall and Apple Tree Clarks Inn Hotel in Raj Nagar.
Environmental activists Pradeep Dahalyia and Prasoon Pant had filed an NGT petition in April, 2023, alleging that 21 hospitality sector entities were not following pollution control norms, such as not having an NOC from the UPPCB, and thereby polluting the environment. Having an NOC is a primary requirement under the Water and Air acts.
The petitioners had alleged in their original application that UPPCB was not taking any action against the defaulting entities, after which the NGT had directed that all such entities — comprising malls, hotels, big restaurants, etc — be surveyed and action be taken against environmental defaulters.
“We will be filing our response to the status report soon, outlining that several restaurants have not been surveyed as yet in locales such as Vasundhara, Vaishali, Indirapuram etc,” said petitioner Pradeep Dahalyia.
The Principal Bench will comprise Judicial Member, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and Expert Member, Dr Afroz Ahmad. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for May 9.
