5-star hotels, malls under NGT lens over rainwater harvesting

Five-star hotels and malls today came under the lens of National Green Tribunal which issued notice to them for not installing proper rainwater harvesting systems in their premises.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to conduct joint inspection and find out the level of groundwater "in and around" these malls and hotels.
"In view of the report of the Joint Inspection Team, issue notice to all the defaulting Hotels and Malls of Delhi ...The notice will be served upon the Director, Incharge, CEO and other officer responsible for day-to-day conduct of the business of these hotels and malls.

"They should also show cause as to why they be not directed to pay compensation for not providing Rainwater Harvesting Systems as well as why they be not directed to pay compensation in terms of Section 15 of the NGT Act for depleting groundwater levels," the bench said.
The Tribunal also directed that all these hotels and malls would declare their source of water and produce complete records of six months preceding today by May 11.
The hotels against which notices have been issued include Asian Hotels Ltd (Hyatt Regency), Hotel Excelsior (Shangri-La) Jaypee Siddharth, Piccadily Hotel, Tirupati Infraprojects Pvt Ltd (Indus Hotels & Spa), Aman Hospitality (Kempinski Ambience), Eros Resorts & Hotels Pvt Ltd (Double Tree by Hilton), Eros Resorts & Hotels Pvt Ltd (Hilton) and Ibis Hotel.

Besides these 9 hotels, NGT also issued notices to 23 malls/commercial complexes including DLF Home Developers Ltd, DLF Retail Developers Ltd, Aditya Infra Developers Pvt Ltd, Aggarwal Plaza Pvt Ltd etc.
The Tribunal had constituted a joint inspection team of CPCB, CGWA and DPCC while directing them to check the status of rainwater harvesting systems in hospitals, malls, commercial complex, hotels and RWAs in Delhi.