NGT slaps Rs 1L on three Ghaziabad civic body officials

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine on three officials of the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) for non-compliance of its order on maintenance of roads and pavements with green cover in one of the sectors.
A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim said that Municpal Commissioner Abdul Samad, Chief Engineer R K Mittal and Executive Engineer R K Mittal were responsible for the lapses in Sector 3 of Vasundhara and directed that the fine be recovered from them with immediate effect.
"Having noticed lapses so far committed and the fact that even the direction requiring the presence of the municipal commissioner is not complied with and no statement on his behalf is filed, we should proceed to pass appropriate order as was already been indicated in our order dated Febrary 17.

"Before we proceed we are compelled to record that there is non-compliance to the direction passed...Accordingly, at the first instance we impose costs of Rs 1 lakh on the Nagar Nigam as observed in order dated February 17 to be recovered from officers concerned," the bench said while posting the matter for hearing to March 8.
The tribunal directed all the three officers to be present before it on the next date of hearing.
The NGT had earlier taken exception to the affidavit filed by the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam stating that the green panel's direction on May 16, 2016 had been complied with.

It also refused to agree with the contention of the counsel appearing for the civic body that the corporation had budgetary to the notice of the tribunal about budgetary allocation being insufficient to carryout the work.
The tribunal's order came on a plea filed by Ghaziabad resident Nayan Agrawal seeking execution of NGT's direction to repair and carry out maintenance of the roads and pavements with sufficient green cover in Sector 3 in Vasundhra area.