UP pollution watchdog takes construction firms to court over environmental violations

Noida: Two builders have been prosecuted at special court in Lucknow under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), officials said

Noida: Two builders have been prosecuted at special court in Lucknow under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), officials said.

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According to the official, legal action was initiated -- a first in Noida -- following alleged repeated offence by a private builder developing a highrise in Sector 118, and a concessionaire developing freight corridor.

“We had been issuing notices to these two builders as they had been flouting norms repeatedly through irresponsible construction and not taking dust controlling measures. This is the first time that we had to take the legal recourse as that was the last resort. Soon, summons will be issued to them,” said Praveen Kumar, regional officer, UPPCB, Noida.

He added that prosecution has been initiated at a special court in Lucknow.

“A special court in Lucknow will hear the cases filed by us against one a building in Sector 118 and a construction firm building the freight corridor. We had visited the sites and recommended environment compensation but the violations continued. No such violation or negligence will be tolerated,” said Kumar.

He added that the UPPCB had also recommended environmental compensation of over ₹92 lakh for 112 violations since October in Noida.

Noida is one of the most polluted cities in the country. It saw only eight days of “good” air quality in 2020.