Noida: Despite continuous orders and instructions of Noida Authority and NGT, builders are not refraining from doing arbitrary things. The situation is such that to build basements, builders are indiscriminately exploiting groundwater and spreading it in the open. Environmentalist Vikrant Tongad raised his voice against this. On receiving information about the wastage of groundwater, Noida Authority has imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on the builder.
NGT had banned de-watering
The reply to the RTI (Right to Information) filed by Vikrant Tongad shows that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Noida has not yet taken cognizance of the District Magistrate’s letter.
“We had raised this issue in NGT in 2011, as a result of which de-watering was banned in Noida. But even today, lakhs of litres of fresh groundwater is being extracted daily to build deep basements at many places.
Vikrant Tongad, Environmentalist
He has alleged that the Noida Authority is not taking this serious issue seriously.
Complaints were being made for three months
Vikrant Tongad said that he has written about this issue to the CEO, District Magistrate and other officials of Noida Authority several times in the last three months. Now they are preparing to take this matter back to NGT. So that strict action can be taken against the builders violating NGT and precious groundwater can be protected.
A fine of ten lakh rupees imposed
On receiving the complaint of the case, the Noida Authority team went to the spot and inspected it. In which it came to light that groundwater was being extracted from the basement. On this, the Noida Authority went to the spot and stopped the work of de-watering. Along with this, a fine of ten lakh rupees has also been imposed on the builder. This step is a positive step towards following the order of NGT, but it is not a permanent solution.