NEW DELHI: In a move to curb environmental violations, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a halt on construction activities in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida and Greater Noida, where builders lack mandatory environmental clearances.
The directive aims to address unauthorised construction that flouts environmental norms and regulations.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, along with Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, issued the order while hearing a plea concerning unapproved residential and commercial projects in the region.
The plea alleged widespread violations, including illegal extraction of topsoil and unauthorised borewell operations by certain developers.
The tribunal highlighted that several builders were proceeding with construction despite not having essential approvals such as Consent to Establish (CTE), Consent to Operate (CTO), and Environmental Clearance (EC). The bench directed the authorities to ensure these projects halt operations until they secure the requisite permissions.
“Since it has been submitted that large-scale illegal construction without following environmental norms is in progress, we direct that till the next date of hearing, the concerned authorities of the state and pollution control board will ensure that projects requiring EC/CTE/CTO but not having these clearances are not permitted to proceed with construction,” the bench ordered.
The NGT also instructed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to stop illegal plotting and construction in floodplain areas, underscoring the environmental risks of encroachment in these sensitive zones.
Petitioner’s counsel, Akash Vashishtha, argued that illegal townships, villas, and apartment complexes are proliferating across Greater Noida, raising serious concerns over environmental sustainability and groundwater depletion.