NGT asks NOIDA how much water it sold to developers

Despite a ban, builders in NOIDA and Greater NOIDA were allegedly extracting ground water for construction. The National Green Tribunal on Monday asked the Noida Authority to reveal the source and the amount of water sold to builders for construction purposes in the last one year.

The National Green Tribunal on Monday asked the Noida Authority to reveal the source and the amount of water sold to builders for construction purposes in the last one year.

“The Noida Authority shall also submit an affidavit before the tribunal as to what is the capacity of the sewage treatment plants and from where it is supplying water to builders with statistics for last one year of water generated for utilisation, water actually purchased and where the remnant water is discharged,” said order.

The order comes after a Greater Noida resident Vikrant Tongad alleged before the tribunal that despite a ban, builders in Noida and Greater Noida were extracting ground water for construction. The tribunal had banned extraction of ground water by builders in Gautam Budh Nagar district on January 11, 2014. After the ban few realtors had started purchasing water from the authority for construction.

“They misled the tribunal by saying that they are purchasing water for construction from the authority. But in reality few builders purchased water from the authority,” said Tongad.

“I have submitted that ultimately the authority is procuring ground water and selling the same to builders. I had submitted proof of how few builders in Greater Noida were defying NGT ban,” said Tongad.

According to the authority, around 350 builders purchased water at Rs. 5 per liter. In the last one year, they purchased about 10,000 to 20,000 liters, according to officials. The tribunal has scheduled the next hearing on February 10 this year. A builder alleged to be involved into extraction of ground water assured the tribunal that it will obtain requisite clearances before construction.