Noida: ₹15.54cr fine imposed for violation of pollution norms, shows RTI reply

A reply to an RTI (Right to Information) query filed by a Noida resident has revealed that the regional office of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Noida, has imposed penalties amounting to ₹5

A reply to an RTI (Right to Information) query filed by a Noida resident has revealed that the regional office of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Noida, has imposed penalties amounting to ₹5.75 crore on 1,054 individuals and establishments for violating pollution norms in the last four years. In the same RTI, the Noida authority said it has imposed a penalty of ₹9.69 crore during the same period.

The Okhla bird sanctuary was blanketed in smog in Noida on Friday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT photo)

If the figures are taken into consideration together, then the state pollution control board and the Noida authority have collectively imposed penalties to the tune of ₹15.44 crore for violation of pollution norms in the last four years.

Amit Gupta, a resident of Sector 77, filed an RTI on October 5 asking the regional office of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Noida, and the Noida authority the quantum of fines imposed on those who were caught violating pollution norms in the city in the last four years. “The purpose of filing the RTI was to understand whether rules and regulations made to control pollution in the city are being enforced or not. If yes, then how much fine has been imposed by the board and the authority in the last four years,” said Gupta, who is a member of the Progressive Community Foundation, a citizens’ group in Noida.

According to the reply filed by the pollution control board, it has received 939 complaints of dust and air pollution on social media and ‘Sameer’ app between 2017 and 2020, for which they have taken action.

The board further shared that till November 17 this year, it has addressed 106 complaints of pollution.

The maximum fine imposed was ₹1.80 crore in 2019 on the back of 390 complaints.

This year alone, fines of ₹69.9 lakh have been imposed, the board said.

“On the directions of the district magistrate, the pollution department recommends imposition of penalties to the office of city magistrate, which then issues the fine on violators,” said Praveen Kumar, regional officer, UPPCB.

When asked as to how much amount has been realised, Kumar added, “Almost all the fines imposed on violators are usually collected”. The official data on the amount collected was unavailable.

According to the reply filed by Noida authority, ₹9.69 crore penalty has been imposed on violators in the city from November 25, 2016 to November 11, 2021.

Of this, ₹5.70 crore penalty has been imposed on building construction work and ₹1.19 crore has been imposed for solid waste management and garbage burning. In addition to this, ₹2.11 crore was imposed for hot mix plants, stone crushers and use of polythene attracted a fine of ₹68 lakh from violators.

Of the total penalty ( ₹9.69 crore) imposed by the Noida authority in the last four years, the authority has been able to recover ₹5.86 crore.

“Pollution norms are being enforced across the city strictly and our staff deployed across the city are taking necessary action. Besides this, sprinkling of water and mechanical sweeping are being carried out to control dust pollution,” said an official of Noida Authority.

Gupta said he will file another RTI to get details on how much of the total penalty imposed in the last four years has the pollution control board been able to recover.