2 Panipat builders found violating pollution norms

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, June 7

Following the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a joint committee headed by the Additional DC found severe violation of environmental norms by two builders, Ansal Properties and Infrastructure and TDI Infratech Limited. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) imposed an Environmental Compensation (EC) of Rs 1.79 crore on Ansal Properties and Infrastructure, while proposing a fine of Rs 5.47 crore EC on TDI Infratech Limited.

A Delhi-based environmentalist Varun Gulati had filed a complaint against these two builder companies to the NGT for violation of pollution norms by them.

Gulati alleged in his complaint that the builders developed their projects but did not arrange for proper sewage treatment plants. The untreated sewage was being discharged in green belts or in drain number-2 by using tractor-tankers which is detrimental to the environment as well as to people’s health, he had said.

Following the complaint, the NGT constituted a joint committee comprising the Member Secretary, HSPCB; DC, Panipat; and representative of the Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in February and sought factual reports.

ADC Pankaj Yadav along with Suneel Dave, Director CPCB; Bhupinder Singh, Regional Officer, HSPCB and Kuldeep Singh, Assistant Environment Engineer visited the sites on April 12 and April 19 and found several anomalies.

The joint team in its report to the NGT said both builders had not obtained a valid Consent To Operate (CTO) from the HSPCB so far.

Ansal has installed two Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of capacity 25 KLD for phase 1 and 2 which are insufficient to discharge sewage from the township. Ansal has been discharging effluents into HSVP sewer illegally for the last five years. Apart from the EC, HSPCB issued a show-cause notice to it on April 22 after finding violations. An EC of Rs 5.47 crore was also recommended on April 27.