NOIDA: Illegal construction has persisted in the city, despite repeated affidavits and responses submitted by former municipal corporator Rajendra Tyagi to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA), which is tasked with addressing such issues, has neglected to comply with multiple NGT directives and has received an additional four weeks to respond.
The UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has indicated that a report from GNIDA is essential to determine if the contested constructions surpass the 5,000 sqm threshold that necessitates consent for establishment. Last July, the Authority’s representative assured a comprehensive affidavit within three weeks, yet nine months and three hearings later, GNIDA’s counsel continues to delay, refraining from identifying which constructions surpass 5,000 sq m and lack the necessary consent.
The tribunal, consisting of Chairperson Justice Prakash Srivastava and expert member Dr. A Senthil Vel, has once again granted GNIDA an additional four weeks, scheduling the next hearing for July 23.
NGT specifies that it is scrutinizing illegal constructions that violate environmental regulations, particularly the EIA Notification, 2006, and those lacking Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) from the UPPCB.
On January 5, a UPPCB lawyer informed the tribunal that, following NGT instructions, the applicant had submitted a list of 24 constructions allegedly undertaken without the required CTE or CTO. “Among these 24 sites, 16 were assessed based on geo-coordinates and found not to exceed 5,000 sq m. Therefore, no CTE or CTO was mandated for these constructions,” the counsel stated.
However, he noted that they had requested GNIDA to provide accurate information regarding the built-up areas of these plots.
Akash Vashishtha, representing the applicant, argued that it is the authorities’ responsibility to identify illegal constructions and act against them. He stated that, at the request of the NGT, they provided UPPCB with a detailed list of illegal residential and commercial properties via email dated November 27, 2025. “Despite this communication, illegal constructions continue at the sites referenced in the aforementioned email and in additional affidavits dated September 24, 2024, March 25, 2025, and July 25, 2025,” he added.
Vashishtha further criticized the 5,000 sq mt criterion as illogical, noting that smaller buildings also extract groundwater and generate waste and sewage. Without proper approvals, these constructions will exert undue pressure on natural resources.
