Construction in the city is on as usual, with no one even remotely trying to follow NGT orders.
National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned all construction work in the NCR until November 14 in view of increased pollution levels, but this ban seems to be practised more in its breach. Even government officials are ignoring the tribunal's orders.
This is what City Spidey found on the ground after a recce through Noida. It found construction going on as usual, with no one even remotely trying to follow NGT orders. And this was the situation on Saturday across sectors. For example, in Sector 18, hectic construction activity was on at the multi-level parking lot, as also in the Sector 24 police station.
When asked about the flouting of the ban orders, the police personnel at the station passed the buck, saying construction was being carried out by Noida Authority and that they could do nothing about it. It was the same story at the ESI hospital in Sector 24 and at the Sector 33 underpass, where evacuation of soil was taking place. Workers at the Sector 33 site said they had no idea of any order banning construction work, nor did they know about any NGT rule. It was the contractor who ordered them to work and he had not mentioned anything.
When confronted with these facts, Rajesh Singh, OSD of Noida Authority, told City Spidey that he would take action against the contractors responsible for this flouting of rules. He said he would order construction work to be stopped and added that Noida had always complied with NGT orders.
“We will not tolerate any violation of NGT orders,” Singh said.
