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Ghaziabad: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 113.25 crore on the developer wave city, a township along NH-9 in Ghaziabad. The developer has been given three months to deposit the fine with the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).
A three-judge NGT bench headed by Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel passed the order on Tuesday following a report by a joint team of officials from UPPCB, Central Ground Water Board and Forest Department.
These agencies were asked to investigate after a Ghaziabad resident filed a petition in the NGT alleging that Wave Group violated environmental norms ranging from groundwater extraction to felling of trees and solid waste Management (SWM) laws were also violated.
“Applying the principle of calculation of environmental compensation… and considering the gravity of the violation, we find it appropriate to calculate environmental compensation at 0.75% of the total project cost of the proponent,” the NGT ruled.
An official said the environment compensation imposed on the developer works out to Rs 113.25 crore. “The NGT also clarified that the funds shall be utilized for rejuvenation and restoration of environment in the area as per the recommendations of the Joint Committee.”
The matter dates back to August 2019 when Mahakar Singh, a resident of Ghaziabad, had approached the NGT against the developer of Wave City.
The petition prompted the NGT to separately direct the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Central Ground Water Board, the Conservator of Forests in Ghaziabad and the UPPCB to submit a factual and action taken report to the tribunal within a month.
On the conflicting reports by the agencies, the NGT directed a joint committee comprising CPCB Member Secretary, State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, UPPCB, Central Ground Water Board and District Magistrate of Ghaziabad to file a report in July 2020.
The joint committee submitted a report in March 2021 stating that damage was found within the project site for which the then project manager of the developer was fined.
Regarding ground water extraction, the committee in its report said that the developer was found violating the NOC conditions related to installation of digital flow meters, construction of piezometers and not keeping records of water consumption during the construction phase. Project.
Besides, eight STPs installed for treatment of sewage generated from domestic processes were found not in operation while stack height of 19 diesel generator (DG) sets was less than the norms prescribed by UPPCB. The team found during inspection that there was no arrangement for disposal of solid waste coming out of the township.
The NGT on January 2, 2022 ordered appropriate action against the developer, including imposition of environment compensation, based on the report of the joint committee. However, later the developer approached the Supreme Court against the NGT order.
However, the apex court later dismissed the developer’s plea. adding that “the appellant shall be open to file an application before the NGT for interim relief”.
“It is a 180-page judgment and our legal team is going through it,” a Wave Group spokesperson told TOI.
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