Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC issues notice to Centre & CPCB on Gurugram NGT plea

GURUGRAM: On Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regarding a civil appeal that challenges a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order. This order dismissed claims that a luxury apartment complex in DLF 3 was constructed by unlawfully diverting a designated protected forest area. The appeal was initiated by retired IFS officer RK Sharma along with journalist and social worker Pawan Kumar Bansal. They are contesting the NGT’s July 11, 2024 order, which rejected their concerns regarding the area near the Delhi-Gurgaon border. Bansal informed TOI that they approached the court because…

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Illegal Construction Soars in Raisina Hill: Walls, Roads Razed

GURUGRAM: Construction is thriving in the Raisina hills, despite the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordering Haryana to dismantle illegal structures on protected Aravali lands. In response to ongoing activities, the forest department initiated another demolition drive, removing structures and boundary walls from approximately 25 acres. They also sealed a borewell and dismantled pillars at two sites that seemed to be intended for future construction. Forest officials also blocked four roads constructed to provide access to forest areas. This action was taken following repeated court orders prohibiting non-forest use on land classified as ‘gair mumkin pahad’ (uncultivable hill). The Raisina region…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Illegal Construction Persists in Sultanpur Park Buffer Zone

GURUGRAM: A recent survey by the Haryana Department of Forest and Wildlife uncovered 74 unauthorized constructions within the eco-sensitive zone of Sultanpur National Park, highlighting a concerning trend of increased development around this protected wetland. Additionally, numerous farmhouses and buildings have been established within a kilometer of the park, which is a significant birdwatching destination in the Delhi-NCR region and was designated as a Ramsar site in 2021. Another assessment by the department revealed 158 illegal structures along regulated corridors in the vicinity. In total, 232 constructions were identified as violations of the Punjab Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Delhi fines construction sites ₹33.95 lakh for GRAP-IV violations

NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has imposed fines totaling ₹33.95 lakh on construction sites over the last week for breaching guidelines outlined in the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) aimed at reducing air pollution, officials announced on Saturday. The MCD stated that construction and demolition activities are strictly banned in Delhi during the GRAP-IV phase, following directions by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Enforcement teams from the MCD conducted inspections across all zones, verifying 1,792 construction sites and issuing 771 fines where violations were identified. In November,…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Halts Order to Attach Gaursons Promoters’ Office, MD Case

NOIDA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has suspended its prior directive to attach the headquarters of Gaursons Promoters Private Limited and initiate criminal proceedings against the company’s managing director, granting temporary relief to the real estate developer. This ruling was made by a bench featuring judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Dr. Afroz Ahmad, following the company’s request to modify or overturn the tribunal’s Dec 16 directive. This directive had been issued during the hearing of an execution application presented by a Greater Noida resident, claiming non-compliance with earlier tribunal orders. Senior advocate A R Takkar, representing…

IndustryLatest Stories

MPCB Team Assesses Anti-Pollution Measures at Baner Realty Site

PUNE: On Friday, officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) inspected a site for a new residential and commercial project in Baner to determine further actions needed to manage dust and noise levels, as mandated by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on December 8. MPCB’s Pune sub-regional officer Kartikeya Langote stated, “We have sent field officers Jayant Doke and Sarjerao Bhoi to the project site.” Doke informed TOI, “We have established air quality and noise monitoring stations, which will track these levels for the next 24 hours. We had previously instructed the project proponent to implement measures to mitigate…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Orders Gaursons Office Attachment, Criminal Action on MD

NOIDA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed strong discontent regarding non-compliance with its previous orders, instructing the Ghaziabad district magistrate to initiate a warrant of attachment against Gaursons Promoters Private Limited’s headquarters and submit a compliance report within four weeks. The tribunal also mandated that a designated officer from the central or state government file a criminal complaint against the developer’s managing director under Section 30 of the NGT Act, which pertains to penalties for environmental non-compliance. The principal bench comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Dr. Afroz Ahmad issued these directions after reviewing a…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Reduces Environmental Fine for Gurugram High-Rise Society

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has provided notable relief to Freedom Park Life AOA, developed by BPTP Builder, by significantly decreasing the environmental compensation previously imposed on the society by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board. The appeal, presented by Advocates Sumit Gehlot, T.S. Thakraon, Manju Gehlot, and Abhishek Singh for the appellant, led the Tribunal to determine that the penalty calculated by the Board was unjustified and lacked supporting evidence. Initially, the HSPCB had levied a penalty of Rs 1,55,62,500 on the housing society, claiming that its sewage treatment plant (STP) had been out of order for…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Extends Sand Mining Ban in Goa Rivers Until Next Month

Representative AI image PANAJI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has prolonged the ban on sand mining in Goa’s rivers until January 28, 2026. This decision follows an appeal by the Goa River Sand Protection Network against 12 environmental clearances issued by the state. This extension was prompted by a request from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority for additional time to respond during a December 8 hearing. The NGT’s ruling specifies that the “director of mines and geology shall not permit any mining activity in the area in question until the next hearing date.” The Goa River Sand Protection Network…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Stops Pune Project Over Noise and Dust Violations

PUNE: The National Green Tribunal’s Western Zone Bench in Pune has ordered a halt to construction activity at a residential project in Baner after the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) reported several violations concerning dust, noise, and construction waste norms. The tribunal issued this directive while addressing a petition from the Supreme Pallacio Cooperative Housing Society against a real estate LLP, which alleged significant pollution impacting the residents. The residents requested an interim injunction to stop construction until proper measures were taken to manage air pollution. The NGT reviewed the MPCB’s inspection report from July 15, which noted insufficient acoustic…