Besides directing the real-estate group to stop all the construction activities for its township projects in the city, the pollution control body has asked it to pay Rs 14.69 crore as compensation.
Citing violation of environmental norms, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed the Ansal Properties and Infrastructure (API) to stop all construction activities for its township projects in the city. Besides, it has also been asked to pay Rs 14.69 crore as compensation.
In an order dated June 18, the builder of API was held guilty of discharging untreated waste for 281 days in its 604-acre residential complex at Sushant Lok, Phase 1 in Gurugram and was directed “to stop all the construction/expansion activities with immediate effect”.
The pollution board claimed that the builder has encroached the green areas and has been illegally extracting groundwater without acquiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) intervened into the matter, CPCB issued directions to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and the CGWA to also separately charge environmental compensation from the violators.
The board has also directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Haryana, to revoke environmental clearances, if granted, and also not let Ansal Properties and Infrastructure undertake any expansion activity till it complies with all the directions.
In this regard, the Haryana electricity board has also been asked by the pollution control body to stop power supply for any further expansion of the residential complex.
In a report prepared by officials from the departments concerned on September 19 last year, it was found that the sewerage system was not proper and even rainwater harvesting system for houses was not provided. Maintenance of roads, footpaths, and parks was also not up to the mark and system of collection of solid waste was not as per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
