Thane civic body cracks down on developers flouting pollution control rules

The civic authorities in Maharashtra's Thane city have pulled up developers for flouting pollution control guidelines during construction activities and halted work at the sites of seven developers, an official said on Saturday.

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has initiated strict action against developers flouting pollution control guidelines and issued orders to halt work for developers failing to comply, the official said.

According to the city development department, of 317 construction sites instructed to follow dust pollution control measures, punitive action was taken at 182 sites for non-compliance, and a cumulative fine of Rs 9.25 lakh was levied on violators.

Additionally, show-cause notices were issued to 120 developers, questioning why their construction activities should not be stopped, and of these, seven developers who failed to provide evidence of compliance were ordered to halt all work.

Assistant Director of Urban Planning Sangram Kanade confirmed the suspension orders and identified the seven developers.

Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao has directed all concerned departments to ensure strict enforcement of air pollution control measures as per the Bombay High Court's guidelines, and the environment department has been asked to conduct regular surprise inspections at construction sites to ensure compliance.

Developers who have submitted compliance statements will undergo verification before being permitted to resume construction.

Kanade said, "If any developer fails to follow the rules in the future, similar stringent action will be taken.