New Delhi, Jun 26 The National Green Tribunal has asked the Uttar Pradesh Ground Water Department to consider a complaint regarding the alleged illegal extraction of groundwater in Noida and Greater Noida, and take appropriate action.
A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad was hearing a petition by environmental conservationist Vikrant Tongad, which claimed private builders, industries and individuals were illegally extracting groundwater in Noida and Greater Noida, especially in Sectors 145 and 153 of Noida and Sectors 94 and 150 in the Tech Zone area of Greater Noida.
Advocate Akash Vashishtha, who appeared on behalf of the applicant, submitted, “We have been continuously writing to the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) and other concerned authorities seeking action to prevent illegal groundwater extraction, but to no avail.”
In a recent order, the tribunal said that, in the first instance, the applicant is required to make an appropriate complaint to the competent authority, which is the Uttar Pradesh Ground Water Department.
It said, “Hence, we dispose of the original application (OA) permitting the applicant to file a detail complaint along with supporting material to the competent authority of the Respondent 7 (Uttar Pradesh Ground Water Department) who on receipt of the same will duly consider the complaint of the applicant in accordance with law, will get the ground verification done and if any tube wells/ bore wells are found to be illegally operating, will take appropriate remedial and punitive action in accordance with law by duly following the principles of natural justice.”
The tribunal directed that the exercise be completed as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three months.
