Newsdetail

UPPCB Imposes Rs 76.5 Crore Fine on Builders for Illegal Groundwater Extraction in Noida

By Rishabh Chamoli | 2023-05-30

The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has fined 38 builders a total of Rs 76.5 crore for unlawfully extracting groundwater from borewells. The builders are required to pay the fine within 15 days. According to officials, the Gaur City 2 project has been imposed with the highest penalty of Rs 6.6 crore, while the Gaur City 1 project faces a fine of Rs 4 crore. The Galaxy Blue Sapphire and Ace Divino projects are fined Rs 3.6 crore and Rs 3.3 crore, respectively. Other projects, such as Ajnara Homes, Apex Golf Avenue, and Ajnara Le Garden, have been fined Rs 1.8 crore, Rs 1.1 crore, and Rs 1 crore, respectively.

In response to a petition by two environmentalists, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) established a joint committee at the district level, consisting of the district magistrate and officials from the state and central pollution control boards. The petition alleged that 63 residential projects in Greater Noida and Greater Noida West were illegally extracting groundwater. The committee conducted a thorough assessment of the projects in two phases and discovered borewells in 41 of them. Of these 41 projects, only three had permission to utilize groundwater, while the remaining 38 did not.

Consequently, the UPPCB issued notices to the 38 builders, requesting them to pay 0.5% of the project cost as environmental compensation. However, no response was received from the builders. As a result, the UPPCB has recently issued notices demanding the payment of a fine amounting to Rs 76.5 crore from the builders within 15 days.

UPPCB regional officer Radhe Shyam stated that they have already notified the builders about the fine imposed and they must pay the fine within 15 days of receiving the notice. During a hearing on May 15, the UPPCB submitted an action taken report to the NGT, informing them about the fines imposed on the builders. The next hearing of the case is in July.

Furthermore, the UPPCB has initiated action against 29 projects under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Show cause notices have been issued to the respective builders in this regard.