Latest news with #UPPCB
Time of India
08-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Deploy guards, ensure free access for all to park maintained by school, NGT tells Noida Authority
Noida: NGT has asked Noida Authority to deploy its guards at Gandhi Park, the greenbelt leased to DPS Noida in 1983 for maintenance. It has also asked the school to continue maintaining the greenbelt and not use it as personal property. Ruling on a petition by the RWA of Sector 30, the tribunal tasked the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) with finalising environmental compensation against the school for violating air quality management commission guidelines. On May 19, the tribunal ruled in favor of residents in a case filed by Pramod Verma, president of RWA, Sector 30. The tribunal, led by chairperson, Justice Prakash Srivastava, judicial member, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert member, Afroz Ahmad, stated that residents can freely access the park and green belt without any interference from the school. "Noida authority should deploy its own guards in place of the guards deployed by the school and ensure that the opening and closing time of the park is uniform for all," the tribunal said. Verma filed an application with the NGT seeking cancellation of DPS Noida's lease for failing to maintain the green belt as required. Talking to TOI, Verma alleged that DPS Noida used the area as private property instead."Forget about protecting trees; they dumped mud, loose soil, and construction material on large parts of the said green belt. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The area was cut off for the residents by the erection of a boundary wall, and the entry gate is manned by guards who refuse entry. In violation of the terms of the agreement, the school initially removed all the water bodies and is now extracting groundwater for the construction of their building," he said. Verma raised these issues with a bunch of photographs filed before the tribunal in 2024. NGT took up Verma's complaint in May 2024 and impleaded member secretary UPPCB, CEO Noida, district magistrate GB Nagar, and DPS Noida through its administrator while hearing the case in May 2024. Following tribunal orders, UPPCB conducted joint inspections in July 2024 and Feb 2025. The inspection revealed violations of environmental laws, prompting UPPCB to issue a show-cause notice to DPS Noida. The notice proposed environmental compensation of Rs 15,000 per day from the start of construction for breaching the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) guidelines in the NCR. Additionally, the school faces a Rs 1.2 lakh penalty for failing to register the construction project on the govt portal. Expressing surprise that the PCB has not submitted its final decision concerning the show cause issued back in Sept 2024, the NGT asked the commission to expedite action after hearing the school's explanation. The tribunal further noted that since the UPPCB found some maintenance work being done by the school during the second visit in Feb, it was evident that some effort was being made. "We find that intermittent lapses are committed by the respondent, the DPS school, in maintaining the park. Therefore, we direct the respondent to properly maintain the park and comply with all the conditions of the allotment/adoption letter dated Sept 5, 1983, and the adoption rules," the tribunal ruled.
Hindustan Times
05-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Green ‘lungs' to breathe fresh air into Lko's pollution hotspots
With a view to combating air pollution, nearly 1.5 lakh saplings will be planted around industrial units, malls, and residential projects across the state capital. These green buffers are intended to function as 'lungs' for the city, especially in high-pollution zones, officials said. According to JP Maurya, regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Lucknow, the target for the city is 1,49,000 saplings. These will be planted around 15 major industrial and commercial entities, including factories in the automobile, dairy, pesticide, biomedical, and torch manufacturing sectors, as well as some shopping malls and housing projects. Each entity has been assigned specific plantation targets, and the drive will commence in the first week of July, coinciding with the onset of the monsoon, Maurya said. 'The saplings will be provided free of cost. The forest department is supplying the saplings which we will distribute to the industries. This initiative is part of the state government's broader push to increase green cover,' he added. According to UPPCB data, most of the factories contributing to pollution are located in the rural and semi-urban belts of the city, including areas like Dewa Road, Mohanlalganj, Nadarganj, Sultanpur Road, Bakshi Ka Talab, Bijnor Road, Baghamau, and Kursi Road. Messer Banaskantha Cooperative Milk Union Limited (Amul Milk) on Sultanpur Road has been directed to plant the highest number of saplings (35,000) within its premises. 'We have already started the drive from today (Thursday) on the occasion of World Environment Day. Once we receive the rest of the saplings, we will plant them around the campus,' Dinesh Chaudhary, regional head of the dairy plant in Lucknow, told HT. Likewise, another factory, UP Asbestos Limited in Mohanlalganj, has been given a target of planting 5,000 saplings. 'We are yet to receive the saplings. We plan to plant them around the factory premises,' Sunil Mehta, a representative of the unit, said. 'It is mandatory for these entities to plant trees equivalent to at least 35% of their campus area, or an equivalent number at another designated location. Non-compliance will lead to issuance of notices and further action by UPPCB,' Maurya said, adding each sapling will be geo-tagged to enable tracking and monitoring. Calling it a wonderful initiative, Chetan Bhalla, national vice-president of Indian Industries Association (IIA) said, 'This move will not only increase green cover, but will also help elevate the image of the city when foreign delegates visit these units for business purposes. Like better roads and connectivity to industries, green cover is equally significant. 'IIA promotes plantation drives and apart from the government's initiative, we individually organise such campaigns,' he added.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Over 40 Noida societies lack pollution board nod to operate STPs
NOIDA : An RTI reply has revealed that 43 group housing societies in the city lack the mandatory consent to operate (CTO) for their sewage treatment plants (STPs). CTO is a mandatory authorisation issued by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board ( UPPCB ) under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. It permits industries, commercial establishments, and group housing societies to operate their facilities while ensuring that their emissions, effluents, and waste management systems comply with environmental standards. Amit Gupta, a resident of Prateek Wisteria in Sector 77, had filed an RTI application on April 29 asking the pollution control board for the list of societies without CTOs, the action taken against them, fines imposed and recovered, and the names of those societies against which cases were filed in the Special Pollution Court in Lucknow. In its reply dated May 20, UPPCB stated that 43 group housing societies did not obtain the required CTO for their STPs. The list included prominent names such as Lotus Boulevard, Supertech Capetown, Sikka Karmic, Logix Blossom County, Antriksh Golf View, Ajnara Grand Heritage, Prateek Wisteria, NRI City Homes, and Logix Blossom Zest, among others. As per the reply, prosecution proceedings have been initiated against 34 of the identified societies. Of these, environmental compensation amounting to Rs 27 crore has been imposed on 30. Notices were sent to the rest. However, the board stated it had no data in its records on how much of the fines were actually recovered. The current status of these cases in the special court was not available with the office. Lack of CTOs does not necessarily mean that societies do not have functional STPs. On the other hand, in some cases, it may also indicate that societies never had STPs to begin with. Additionally, many of them lack Occupancy Certificates (OC) and Completion Certificates (CC), pointing to a major procedural failure. For example, Gupta's society, Prateek Wisteria, does not have a CTO but has had a functional STP since 2019. "A large number of societies do not have CTOs to operate STPs, which suggests that occupancy and completion certificates were issued without the Authority verifying the status of STPs. Of these 43 societies, about 60%-70% are located in sectors 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78. Many of them cannot even install STPs now due to lack of space within the premises and insufficient funds, as the builder has already handed over the project. The Authority should intervene and lay a separate sewage pipeline connecting these societies to the nearest operational STP in Sector 50," Gupta told TOI. Pointing out the lack of coordination between the UPPCB and the Noida Authority, Gupta stated, "The Authority and the pollution control board are not working together on this issue. They conduct inspections separately and impose fines independently. Often, they are not even aware of each other's actions. Also, the responsibility of establishing STPs and obtaining CTOs lies with the builder, as per the law. It is not the responsibility of the AOA." Meanwhile, Noida Authority officials said they are monitoring societies flouting environmental norms. Noida CEO Lokesh M said, "OC/CCs are issued after checking whether societies have facilities such as STPs, fire safety, and lift clearances. It is more of an operational issue, as the societies fail to run these facilities properly after homebuyers start living there. The Authority takes action as public health is at stake. However, it is the pollution control board's primary responsibility to impose fines and take legal action. As far as the Authority is concerned, we will continue with our enforcement drive." In a recent drive, the Authority took action against eight societies that either lacked functional STPs or were discharging untreated sewage into open drains, bypassing norms that require treated water to be released into sewer lines. These included RG Residency in Sector 120, Sikka Karmic in Sector 78, Lotus Boulevard in Sector 100, Lotus Panache in Sector 110, Purvanchal Royal Park in Sector 137, Aims Max Gardenia in Sector 75, Prateek Stylome in Sector 45, and Amrapali Silicon City in Sector 76. The drive also extended to Maharishi Ashram near Lotus Panache. The Authority wrote to the registrar of firms, societies, and chits in Meerut seeking cancellation of registration for both the Ashram and the Panache society. However, the Allahabad High Court stayed coercive action against RG Residency. Noida officials said that an environmental cell has been formed to verify whether STPs have been installed. The cell has been asked to compile data on STPs in all group housing societies. As per rules, all residential societies with a floor area of 20,000 sqm or more must have an STP. No new OC is currently being issued without verifying the CTO for the society's STP, officials added.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
43 Noida condos lack pollution board nod to operate STPs
Noida: An RTI reply has revealed that 43 group housing societies in the city lack the mandatory consent to operate (CTO) for their sewage treatment plants (STPs). CTO is a mandatory authorisation issued by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. It permits industries, commercial establishments, and group housing societies to operate their facilities while ensuring that their emissions, effluents, and waste management systems comply with environmental standards. Amit Gupta, a resident of Prateek Wisteria in Sector 77, had filed an RTI application on April 29 asking the pollution control board for the list of societies without CTOs, the action taken against them, fines imposed and recovered, and the names of those societies against which cases were filed in the Special Pollution Court in Lucknow. In its reply dated May 20, UPPCB stated that 43 group housing societies did not obtain the required CTO for their STPs. The list included prominent names such as Lotus Boulevard, Supertech Capetown, Sikka Karmic, Logix Blossom County, Antriksh Golf View, Ajnara Grand Heritage, Prateek Wisteria, NRI City Homes, and Logix Blossom Zest, among others. As per the reply, prosecution proceedings have been initiated against 34 of the identified societies. Of these, environmental compensation amounting to Rs 27 crore has been imposed on 30. Notices were sent to the rest. However, the board stated it had no data in its records on how much of the fines were actually recovered. The current status of these cases in the special court was not available with the office. Lack of CTOs does not necessarily mean that societies do not have functional STPs. On the other hand, in some cases, it may also indicate that societies never had STPs to begin with. Additionally, many of them lack Occupancy Certificates (OC) and Completion Certificates (CC), pointing to a major procedural failure. For example, Gupta's society, Prateek Wisteria, does not have a CTO but has had a functional STP since 2019. "A large number of societies do not have CTOs to operate STPs, which suggests that occupancy and completion certificates were issued without the Authority verifying the status of STPs. Of these 43 societies, about 60%-70% are located in sectors 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78. Many of them cannot even install STPs now due to lack of space within the premises and insufficient funds, as the builder has already handed over the project. The Authority should intervene and lay a separate sewage pipeline connecting these societies to the nearest operational STP in Sector 50," Gupta told TOI. Pointing out the lack of coordination between the UPPCB and the Noida Authority, Gupta stated, "The Authority and the pollution control board are not working together on this issue. They conduct inspections separately and impose fines independently. Often, they are not even aware of each other's actions. Also, the responsibility of establishing STPs and obtaining CTOs lies with the builder, as per the law. It is not the responsibility of the AOA. " Meanwhile, Noida Authority officials said they are monitoring societies flouting environmental norms. Noida CEO Lokesh M said, "OC/CCs are issued after checking whether societies have facilities such as STPs, fire safety, and lift clearances. It is more of an operational issue, as the societies fail to run these facilities properly after homebuyers start living there. The Authority takes action as public health is at stake. However, it is the pollution control board's primary responsibility to impose fines and take legal action. As far as the Authority is concerned, we will continue with our enforcement drive." In a recent drive, the Authority took action against eight societies that either lacked functional STPs or were discharging untreated sewage into open drains, bypassing norms that require treated water to be released into sewer lines. These included RG Residency in Sector 120, Sikka Karmic in Sector 78, Lotus Boulevard in Sector 100, Lotus Panache in Sector 110, Purvanchal Royal Park in Sector 137, Aims Max Gardenia in Sector 75, Prateek Stylome in Sector 45, and Amrapali Silicon City in Sector 76. The drive also extended to Maharishi Ashram near Lotus Panache. The Authority wrote to the registrar of firms, societies, and chits in Meerut seeking cancellation of registration for both the Ashram and the Panache society. However, the Allahabad High Court stayed coercive action against RG Residency. Noida officials said that an environmental cell has been formed to verify whether STPs have been installed. The cell has been asked to compile data on STPs in all group housing societies. As per rules, all residential societies with a floor area of 20,000 sqm or more must have an STP. No new OC is currently being issued without verifying the CTO for the society's STP, officials added.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
UP reports 68% improvement in river, reservoir water quality: UPPCB
Lucknow: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) undertook a series of effective measures to enhance the water quality of rivers and reservoirs across the state. As a result, UPPCB's 2024 report reveals 68.8% improvement in water purity across state compared to 2023. "This reflects the success of sustained initiatives, stringent monitoring and special campaigns led by the state govt to combat water pollution," said an official. The UPPCB conducted water quality tests at 176 locations throughout the state in 2024, recording improvements at 120 sites. Under flagship initiatives such as the Namami Gange Mission and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Uttar Pradesh ramped up its capacity for wastewater treatment. As of April 2025, a total of 152 STPs have been installed, of which 141 are fully operational and 126 are in compliance with the prescribed environmental standards. While 6 STPs are currently in the testing phase, 15 are expected to reach full operational capacity shortly. Despite this, challenges persist in certain regions. To address these issues, the govt and local administration are working in tandem to ensure full compliance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Salford This Tip Helps Ease Joint Pain Fast Jupiter Labs Learn More Undo In its commitment to enforcing environmental regulations, the UPPCB took strict action against non-compliant STPs. Between Oct 2022 and Apr 2025, environmental fines totalling ₹11.8 crore were imposed on erring STPs. However, only ₹7.30 lakh has been recovered so far, prompting the board to focus on strengthening the penalty recovery mechanism. The CM has placed special emphasis on the restoration and conservation of major rivers, such as Ganga, Yamuna and Gomti, as well as smaller water bodies.
