Noida: Polluters slapped over Rs 30.94 lakh in penalties in a week

The Noida Authority on Friday said it has issued penalties worth Rs 1.32 lakh on private contractors and other entities that were found violating guidelines and rules to combat air pollution here.

The action included major penalties worth Rs 50,000 on a coal depot and two entities that had kept construction material uncovered, the authority said.

The authority has issued penalties worth over Rs 30.94 lakh since last Saturday on entities adding to air pollution, according to PTI tally.

The continued action against polluters has come in the wake of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) coming into force amid deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, even as the air quality in Noida remained "very poor" on Friday.

"Varying amount of penalties were imposed on other offenders, including those keeping construction material in open. Altogether, penalties worth Rs 1.32 lakh were imposed on Friday over violation of guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the GRAP," it said in a statement.

The authority said 300 tonnes of construction and demolition waste was picked up from various locations in Noida on Friday and sent to the processing plant in Sector 80, while 280 tonnes of it was disposed of after due process.

Road stretches measuring 113 kilometres were sprinkled with water, while another 243 kilometres on 67 routes were cleaned mechanically by sweeping machines, it said.

Footpaths and streets measuring 60 kilometres were cleaned during the night using water treated by sewage treatment plants, it stated.

The Noida Authority had issued fines worth Rs 4.08 lakh on Thursday, Rs 2.20 lakh on Wednesday, Rs 4.14 lakh on Tuesday, Rs 5.65 lakh on Monday, Rs 3.37 lakh on Sunday and Rs 11.15 lakh on Saturday on various private contractors and entities for violating pollution guidelines and rules here.