3 five-star hotels fined for insufficient rainwater harvesting

The National Green Tribunal today slapped a total fine of Rs nine lakh on three five-star hotels here after it found "unsatisfactory" rain water harvesting systems in their premises.
A bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, passed the orders after noting that these hotels had not bothered to take steps to install rainwater harvesting systems even after several reminders, while in some cases it was not fully operational or choked with garbage.
The Tribunal imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Hotel Excelsior (Shangri-La) while Eros Resorts Hotels Pvt Ltd (Double Tree by Hilton) and Crowne Plaza (Mayur Vihar) were imposed Rs 2 lakh each.

Earlier, the green panel had imposed fines of Rs 7.5 lakh each on Jaypee Siddharth and Piccadily Hotel and Rs five lakh on Tirupati Infraprojects Pvt Ltd (Indus Hotels & Spa).
The Tribunal had also imposed fines of Rs 5 lakh each on BM Gupta Hospital Pvt Ltd, Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd (Apollo Hospital), Santom Hospital and Jaipur Golden Hospital and Rs three lakh on Holy Family hospital.
Among the malls and commercial complexes, a fine of Rs 5 lakh was slapped on Laxmi Buildtech Pvt Ltd and Lifestyle Builders Pvt Ltd each, while Upaj Buildcon Pvt Ltd was imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh.

"We have to keep in mind that orders of rain water harvesting were passed in years 2013 by us and wide publicity is given by DPCC for compliance of the orders," the bench had then said.
The Tribunal was hearing a plea by one Vikrant Kumar Tongad who had sought directions to DMRC to "install proper rainwater harvesting system" on all its existing as well as proposed and under-construction metro stations, tracks and depots.
The green panel, however, had widened the ambit of the petition and incorporated various institutions such as government and private hospitals, hotels and malls.