FIR filed against Noida society, fined ₹73L for violating ecology norms: Noida authority

The Noida Authority filed an FIR and levied a ₹73 lakh fine on a housing society over a non-functional Sewage Treatment Plant

The Noida Authority on Sunday said it has filed a first information report (FIR) against the Amrapali Sapphire housing society for violating the air and water acts, and also flouting solid waste management rules, besides imposing a penalty of ₹73 lakh for being found dumping its waterway into storm water drains without treating it.

In response, a member of the AOA that runs the society, Ajay Shukla, said, “The Noida authority water works team came for inspection on Saturday, and took action. The Authority must understand that the NBCC that built the complex is yet to hand over the facilities properly.” (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

This step followed a site inspection on Saturday by the Authority’s water works department team which found that the sewage treatment plant (STP) inside the housing complex was dysfunctional.

“We found during inspection that the STP was not operational inside the campus against the laid down norms. We have filed FIR under the provisions of the Water Act-1974, Air Act-1974 and imposed a penalty for violating the waste management rules-2016/2020,” RP Singh, general manager and head of water works department at Noida authority told HT on Sunday.

“The dumping of untreated wastewater is also an unlawful activity as per the Article 272 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).”

Singh said a penalty of ₹73 lakh was imposed on Amrapali Sapphire Apartment Owners Association (AOA), which is responsible to treat the wastewater before it is dumped into the storm water drains. “This penalty has been imposed as we intensified our drive to prevent dumping of the untreated waste into drains.”

According to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions, these societies are supposed to set up treatment plants to treat the waste and then discharge the same into drains.

In response, a member of the AOA that runs the society, Ajay Shukla, said, “The Noida authority water works team came for inspection on Saturday, and took action. The Authority must understand that the NBCC that built the complex is yet to hand over the facilities properly.”

The Authority has been carrying out the site inspections inside the housing societies since August 3, 2022 when the NGT, during a case hearing, asked it not to dump untreated water into drains which finally empty into the Yamuna River.

Since then, the Authority has been working on the plan to improve the quality of treated wastewater to mitigate pollution in Yamuna, said officials. “Our drive continues and we will impose a penalty and also file a criminal case as per the law,” Singh added.

Residents, however, suggested that instead of only filing FIR and imposing penalties, the Authority must engage with the AOAs to fix the gaps, and ensure only untreated wastewater is dumped into drains.

The AOAs have their own challenges to address, and they need handholding of the Authority, they added.

The Authority, meanwhile, said that they have been running an awareness campaign, and also warned these AOAs in the past asking them to comply with the norms.