NGT raps CGWA on Noida-based water bottling unit

The National Green Tribunal has rapped the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) for not complying with its order to initiate action against a Noida-based water bottling unit for extracting groundwater.

A bench of acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim said the officers of CGWA have showed "disdainful conduct and open defiance" to the directions of this tribunal.

"We have seen that in the past also such instances were brought to our notice and the plea was they had not understood the order of the tribunal...

"Such plea is undoubtedly an attempt for delaying the proceedings. We deprecate this practice and direct the CGWA's chairman to take note of such conduct of officers and take appropriate action against the concerned who would be found responsible for disobedience of the directions," the NGT said.

The green panel had earlier ordered a joint inspection of Beltek Canadian Water Ltd by the Central Pollution Control Board and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to ascertain the number of tubewells installed at the unit and the quantity of water extracted by the firm.

The NGT was informed that one illegal borewell was found to be operational which was sealed. The bottling unit had undertaken that it would not operate the borewell without informing the state pollution control board and CGWA.

It had also directed that out of the environmental compensation of Rs 5 lakh paid by the bottling unit, Rs 50,000 would be paid to the NGT Bar Association.

The order came on a plea filed by Delhi resident Shailesh Singh alleging that the unit located in Bisrakh block of Gautam Buddh Nagar district was extracting groundwater through borewells installed in the factory premises without the requisite permission from the CGWA.