NGT asks 10 Faridabad builders to submit bank guarantees

The National Green Tribunal today directed 10 builders in Faridabad district in Haryana to submit bank guarantee of Rs 50 lakh each within three days, failing which their bank accounts would be attached, over dysfunctional sewage treatment plants (STPs).
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar restrained these builders from withdrawing money from their bank accounts in the meanwhile.
It asked the builders to upgrade their STPs and then approach the Haryana Pollution Control Board for inspection.
The tribunal ordered that no builder would be allowed to dump sewage in the open and strict action would be taken against the violators.

"Only after taking permission from the NGT would the accounts of the builders be de-freezed," the tribunal said while coming down heavily on the builders.
The builders are -- Omaxe Heights Faridabad and Summer Palms in Sector 86, SRS Residency and BPTP Villas in Sector 88, ERA Redwood Residency in Sector 78, SRS Royal Hills Sector 87, Puri VIP Floors in Sector 81, BPTP L Block and BPTP Elite floors in sector 84 and Era Divine Court in sector 76 of Faridabad.

The green panel also imposed an environment compensation of Rs 55 lakh on ERA Redwood Residency payable within one week for not obtaining consent to operate for its STP.

It also slapped environment compensation of Rs 5 lakh each on Omaxe (Sector 86 project), SRS and BPTP over faulty STPs.
Advocate Sumeer Sodhi, appearing for Omaxe, said that most of the builders were already under immense financial pressure and requested the tribunal not to impose penalty on them.
The matter is listed for next hearing tomorrow.
The NGT order came on a petition, filed through Shariq Abbas Zaidi, by Faridabad resident Varun Sheokand who had alleged that the group housing societies in Greater Faridabad and Sainik Colony had been dumping sewage in the open in the absence of proper sewerage connection.