The National Green Tribunal(NGT) has directed Jain Housing to pay the Rs 2.19 crore penalty imposed by the pollution control board for violating environmental laws while expanding one of its premium projects in Thoraipakkam.
The firm in 2009 had obtained environmental clearance for constructing 412 dwelling units in the first phase and another 396 units in the second phase of Jains Pebble Brook apartment.
But eventually it constructed 620 dwelling units in the first phase itself, and the additional residential units increased the sewage outflow and solid waste generation.
Pointing this out, one of the purchasers of the residential units approached NGT, which asked TNPCB to look into the issue. When authorities inspected the site in 2018, they found that Jain Housing had neither obtained consent from the board nor got the revised environmental clearance for the entire project.
Show-cause notices were sent by TNPCB, and the housing firm replied that there was no violation of environmental laws. When the board submitted these details before the tribunal in 2019, directions were issued to assess the compensation to be recovered from the firm for damages caused to the environment. Accordingly, an environmental compensation of 2.19 crore was levied.
Jain Housing appealed against this penalty with the board and argued that the 208 additional units in phase-I of the project were constructed within the permitted built-up area. But the tribunal refused to set aside the board’s proceedings.
