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PPCB halts construction at Purab Premium Apartments
The PPCB has also imposed an environmental compensation of ₹1.02 crore on GMADA for non-compliance of its directions.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has restricted Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) from carrying out further construction at Purab Premium Apartments, Sector-88, Mohali, after finding environmental violations, including the absence of a sewage treatment plant (STP), at the project.
The PPCB order further states that no new occupancy or sale of flats will be allowed here.
“The revenue authorities shall not register any sale deed related to any plot, flat, house, shop or any other component of this project with immediate effect,” the PPCB order read.
The PPCB has also imposed an environmental compensation of ₹1.02 crore on GMADA for non-compliance of its directions.
As per information, the occupancy of 970 flats has already been completed and at least 800 families reside here.
Effluent discharge & other violation of Water Act
Acting on a resident’s complaint last year, the National Green Tribunal had directed the PPCB to ascertain the extent of violations at the site.
During inspection, a PPCB officer had found that GMADA was blatantly violating provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
“GMADA has not installed a captive STP, as required, and is discharging untreated domestic sewage into sewer, in violation of the environmental clearance granted to it. The treated water is also not being re-circulated back for use in flushing, plantation and horticulture purposes within the project. The project proponent is using fresh water for the same, which is in violation of the conditions of the environmental clearance,” a PPCB visiting officer noted.
The Board has asked the development authority to stop discharging any effluent or wastewater into sewer, inland surface water or onto land.
It was further found that the developer was not maintaining any record of the groundwater or freshwater consumption. Two bore-wells had been provided for abstraction of groundwater, out one, with a meter, is being used.
The PPCB site officer observed, “No record regarding daily consumption of fresh water is being maintained. Further, the project is also getting fresh water supply through GMADA supply for which no record is being maintained.”
The site officer further noted that there are four rainwater harvesting pits but no record on its annual maintenance. Further, the surface runoff from the project is being discharged into the rainwater harvesting (RWH) pits.
Violation of solid waste mgmt Act
“Construction and demolition (C&D) waste and mixed solid waste was lying in the basement of the project. No provision has been made for segregation of the same and no arrangement has been made for in-site management of the biodegradable solid waste. The project proponent is not complying with the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, being a bulk waste generator.
The project was also failing to use solar energy for illumination of common areas, lighting of gardens and streetlights, which was one of the conditions when the environment clearance was given to it.
Furthermore, the environmental clearance of the project had expired on February 13, 2020, but the GMADA failed to apply for fresh clearance.
Meanwhile, the developing authority, in its reply, submitted, “Initially 6,360 flats on 117.18 acres were to be constructed at Purab Premium Apartments, Sector-88, Mohali. However, as per the approval of the Competent Authority, the project was revised and 1,620 flats have been constructed on 37.5 acres. STP of capacity 45 MLD which has been upgraded upto capacity of 68 MLD has already been constructed in Sector 83, SAS Nagar, where sewage is being treated to cater to the sewage load of the project. A request for fresh environmental clearance was sought in May,” the GMADA submitted.
