E Kidwai Nagar redevelopment: NGT directs inspection of site

Heeding to the plea that redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar in southwest Delhi was being carried out in breach of environmental clearance, the National Green Tribunal has appointed a local commissioner to inspect the site.
The green panel noted that there were serious concerns raised with regard to redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar being undertaken by National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) under Urban Development Ministry.
"We appoint advocate Rahul Verma as a local commissioner who shall visit the site in question and report if there was breach of conditions of environmental clearance, what is the water source and whether the mixing plants are operating in accordance with law and with due protection.

"Let the report be submitted on the next date of hearing. The local commissioner is at liberty to take photographs and police assistance, if necessary," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The tribunal directed NBCC to operate all the mixing plants during the inspection and asked the local commissioner to "categorically notice if there are public roads covered by the project proponent."
The green bench fixed Rs 25,000 as the fee of the local commissioner which would be paid by NBCC Ltd.
The directions came while hearing a plea by South Delhi resident K S Gahunia who has alleged that NBCC, the project proponent, in the garb of redevelopment is destroying public roads and "illegally" erecting barricades on the roads.

According to Gahunia, the mixing plants were causing serious air pollution and health hazards for the residents and these did not have the requisite permission from Delhi Pollution Control Committee for operation.