Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Warns on Yamuna Pollution and Illegal Constructions

Representative AI image AGRA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sent notices to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, the Uttar Pradesh government, the Mathura-Vrindavan Municipal Corporation, and other agencies regarding severe pollution in the Yamuna River and illegal constructions along its banks. This action comes after a petition by Vijay Kishore Goswami of the Braj Vrindavan Devalaya Samiti, who raised concerns about untreated sewage, industrial waste, and encroachment on floodplains. Despite NGT’s 2021 orders for improved sewage treatment and ecosystem protection, violations reportedly persist. The petitioners provided a comprehensive 95-page affidavit that included water quality reports and geo-tagged photographs demonstrating…

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NGT Forms Committee to Probe Shahpura Lake Encroachments

Representative AI image BHOPAL: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken a serious stance on the alleged encroachments in the green belt around Shahpura Lake. On Thursday, the tribunal established a committee to inspect the site and deliver a report within six weeks. Environmental advocate Nitin Saxena’s petition to the NGT central bench alleges that the green belt has been egregiously encroached upon, with illegal structures appearing in the lake’s buffer zone, thus violating Wetland Rules. Counsel for the petitioner, Chinmay Singh, revealed that “untreated water is being funneled into the lake, obstructing the natural drainage channels that feed it,…

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Bengaluru Apartments Illegally Dump Sewage into Lake

Representative image BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has issued show-cause notices to six apartment complexes and an educational institution in Anekal for polluting Shikaripalya Lake. The affected properties include Sarovar Apartment, Shree Nandana Elite Apartment Residents Welfare Association, Sree Balaji Nest Apartment, Thirumala Residency Apartment Residents, Happy Home Vivasvan Resident Association, Happy Home 2, and Zia Academy. According to KSPCB, these apartments and the institution lack sewage treatment plants, resulting in domestic sewage being discharged directly into the lake. The Board identified several contributing factors to the pollution of Shikaripalya Lake, including sewage flowing through stormwater drains,…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Orders Ghaziabad DM to Clear Lakefront Residential Colony

GHAZIABAD: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has identified a portion of land in Pasunda village, Loni, previously documented as a lake in revenue records, where a residential project is being developed. The tribunal has ordered the district administration to eliminate encroachments and safeguard the waterbody. An NGO, Society for Voice of Human Rights and Justice, filed the case, claiming illegal conversion of the lake into a residential colony. The petition referenced alterations in land mutation for development by Mahalaxmi Land and Finance Company involving survey numbers 1564 and 2476. The petitioner stated that approximately 0.961 hectares of land under revenue…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Morbi Ceramics Face ₹122 Crore Fine After NGTC Ruling

Here’s a rewritten version of the content: AHMEDABAD: The National Green Tribunal (West Zone) has dismissed appeals from 337 ceramic units in the Morbi and Wankaner region concerning the payment of ₹122.05 crore for environmental damage compensation (EDC) related to the use of banned coal gasifiers. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) had prohibited the use of coal gasifiers following Supreme Court scrutiny. Ceramic units were allowed to operate under the condition that they switch to PNG. A committee report in 2024 assessed environmental damage at ₹122.05 crore, proposing an equitable distribution of the amount among the affected industries. In…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Firms with higher profits must bear more environmental costs: SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court stated on Friday that companies benefiting from their scale must also face greater environmental responsibilities, affirming an NGT ruling that fined a builder Rs 5 crore for breaching environmental regulations. A bench led by Justices Dipankar Datta and Vijay Bishnoi remarked that, in cases concerning environmental protection, the scale of a company’s operations—such as revenue or production volume—can significantly influence the determination of compensation for environmental damage. The court noted that larger operations typically result in a greater environmental footprint, leading to increased resource consumption, emissions, and waste production, ultimately intensifying environmental strain. “If a…

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NGT Requests Report on Four Encroached Ponds in Gurugram

GURUGRAM: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given the Haryana government two months to respond to a petition that claims encroachment on four ponds recorded in the city’s revenue documentation, one of which has a three-storey office built over it by a former municipal councillor. The petition, brought forward by activist Vaishali Rana, was heard by NGT’s principal bench on January 5. Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi led the bench, instructing the state and other involved parties to submit their responses within two months, detailing actions taken to comply with Supreme Court mandates for protecting and restoring ponds and village commons.…

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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…

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…

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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…