GHAZIABAD: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed on Wednesday hospitality establishments — hotels, malls, banquet halls, restaurants with seating capacity of 36 upwards — in the district to obtain consent to operate certificate from the state pollution control board within 3 months or face shut down.
The certification allows for the discharge of effluent (sewage or trade effluent) into a sewer or land, as well as the emission of air pollutants.
NGT asked the UPPCB to take “punitive, preventive, prohibitive and remedial steps including, assessment and recovery of environmental compensation, expeditiously ” against establishments that were previously granted time by it to obtain consent to operate certificate but had not done so.
Compliance conditions mentioned in consent to operate certifiactes must be abided by the establishments and this has to be made sure by the board, it added.
The directive came in the wake of an original application filed by environmentalists Pradeep Dahalyia and Prasoon Pant in NGT last year. The duo had alleged that 21 large hospitality entities in the city were not following environmental norms and were causing pollution. Later on, more hospitality establishments were brought under the ambit of a survey carried out by the state pollution control board.
“In respect of the orders of environmental composition already passed by the UPPCB, we clarify that these orders are appealable under the relevant statutes. Therefore, the aggrieved persons may avail such statutory remedy in accordance with law and this order shall not affect those orders already passed,” the tribunal directed.
Giving further reprieve to such establishments, NGT said “However, in respect of the closure orders already passed, but later consent has been obtained, appropriate order to enable such proponents to operate shall be passed by the competent authority of UPPCB in accordance with law without any further delay.”
Environmentalists said NGT has made it clear that hospitality establishments will have to comply with the Water and Air Acts. “Directions in this order should be replicated across other regions of UP and in other states,” Dahaliya said.
NGT further directed that a compliance report shall be filed by UPPCB by Jan 15, 2025, showing the status as on Dec 31, 2024, before the registrar general of the tribunal and if any further order is required, the matter shall be placed before the bench concerned.
UPPCB had recently submitted a status report wherein it had directed closure of 15 units while issuing show-cause notices as well as environmental compensation on 25 establishments, including Aditya Mall, Indirapuram; Garam Dharam, Arthala; Hotel Grand Tushar, Chaudhary Mod; Mangalam Banquet, Vasundhara among other such establishments. Closure order has been initiated against Hotel Clarks Inn, Raj Nagar; Royal Enterprises, Bhopura; Pind Balluchi, Crossings Republik; Hotel Platinum, Sahibabad; Golden Leaf restaurant, Sahibabad among others.
