The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Gmada) for failing to comply with the directions issued by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in a matter related to its ambitious housing project in Mohali.
Gmada has also refrained from further construction and giving occupancy to new residents.The NGT observed that Gmada failed to file a satisfactory reply to the show-cause notice issued by the SEIAA over non-compliance of environmental clearance norms at Purab Premium Apartments (PPA) project in Sector 88, Mohali.
Gmada also failed to initiate the process to set up sewage treatment plant (STP) in the residential housing project.
The SEIAA had directed Gmada to apply for consent to operate as required under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 within 7 days, which the authority failed to obtain.
The Gmada will have to comply with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 for management and disposal of its solid waste, the SEIAA had further directed. The directions were issued following the previous hearing held at the National Green Tribunal.
The action came after the joint committee comprising PPCB engineers Ravdeep Singh, G D Garg, SEIAA executive engineer Rantej Singh, Mohali deputy commissioner Aashika Jain and SDM Chandrajyoti Singh visited the site on November 1, 2023 and contacted Rakesh Kumar, SDO, Gmada, and Parwinder Singh, complainant, Kuldeep Singh, S K Loona, and other residents of the colony.
The team observed many discrepancies at the Purab Premium Apartments and directed Gmada to rectify the same and report to the joint team. But Gmada failed to do so till date.
