NGT notice to Centre, Haryana on construction in Gurgaon

The National Green Tribunal today sought the response of the Centre and Haryana government on a plea seeking stay on construction activity by a developer in Gurugram on the ground that the work was being carried out without obtaining prior Environment Clearance (EC).
A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Haryana government, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, state pollution control board, Haryana Urban Development Authority, Vatika Limited and others while seeking their reply in two weeks.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by environment enthusiast Naresh Kumar Jindal and others claiming that Vatika Limited was carrying out construction activity in 477 acres at "Sector 81, 82, 82A, 83 and 85 at Gurgaon" without obtaining prior EC from State Environnent Assessment Authority under the EIA Notification, 2006.

The plea has sought a stay on the construction and operation on the project where there is no EC obtained by the developer till the final disposal of the case.
The plea, filed by advocates Sanjay Upadhyay and Salik Shafique, said the project proponent was carrying out construction activities in an unscientific manner causing air pollution in Gurugram and extracting ground water illegally from borewells without obtaining requisite permissions and violating the environmental safeguards.
"The construction and expansion of the projects are in full swing and in some cases have also been completed in 477 acres without prior EC. That such projects for which the construction is under progress without requisite Environment Clearances are City Homes, Tranquil Heights, Sovereign Next, Town Square 03, Market Place 1, Maitri Kiran School, Serenity Avenue," the plea said.