Noida: Golf club fined ₹10 lakh for open waste dumping

Officials said the club qualifies as a bulk waste generator and is required to segregate dry and wet waste, as well as set up a composting unit on site.

The Noida authority has imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on Unitech Golf and Country Club in Sector 96, for violating waste management rules by dumping waste in the open, officials said. The action followed a site inspection by the authority’s health department, which found the club was not segregating waste and was disposing of it openly within its premises.

The action followed a site inspection by the authority’s health department. (HT PHOTO)

“The club’s staff were found dumping waste in the open, which poses serious ecological risks. If the club fails to comply, stricter penalties will follow,” said IP Singh, officer on special duty with the Noida authority.

Officials said the club qualifies as a bulk waste generator and is required to segregate dry and wet waste, as well as set up a composting unit on site. Despite repeated warnings, they said, these regulations have been ignored.

Employees of the club have been dumping waste in the open on a daily basis, which officials said poses health risks to the surrounding areas. In addition, the club has been storing untreated legacy waste or municipal solid waste (MSW) within its premises.

“This legacy waste, if left unprocessed, will contaminate the groundwater,” said IP Singh. “We’ve given the club one day to clear the legacy waste and immediately stop open dumping. If they fail to comply, strict action will follow.”

Further, officials said Noida authority is conducting workshops for bulk waste generators, instructing them to segregate dry and wet waste at source. While the authority will collect only dry waste, generators are required to process wet waste on-site through composting units within their premises.

“We are carrying out inspections at the premises of bulk waste generators to check whether they are following the rules,” said IP Singh. “The Noida authority is committed to strictly enforcing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and any violation will invite strong action.”

Singh added that the authority is focusing on on-site waste segregation and treatment to reduce the strain on city-level waste management systems. Meanwhile, the management of Unitech Golf and Country Club was unavailable for a comment.