Kailash Hospital’s new branch comes under NGT scanner

The National Green Tribunal office in New Delhi. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Alleged encroachment of green belt area, violation of dust control norms and groundwater extraction for construction has put an under-construction branch of Kailash Hospital at Noida Sector 71 on the National Green Tribunal’s radar. After a petition was filed on the issue, the Tribunal has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and its departments, as well as Kailash Healthcare Private Limited.

“The next date of hearing is November 27, when these parties have been asked to respond to the NGT notice,” said Rahul Choudhary, representing the petitioner, Greater Noida resident Vikrant Tongad.

Alleging that “illegal construction” was taking place “in the green belt area at NH-01 of Sector 71” by Kailash Heathcare “after felling fully grown trees”, the petition stated that the area has been encroached upon.
“The satellite image of the location clearly shows standing trees at the site of the green belt prior to removal of same,” the petition reads.

“For the construction of the hospital, the respondent felled the trees standing there, which were at least 10 years old,” alleged the petition.

Responding to the allegations, R N Sharma, president of Kailash Healthcare, said, “A plot of land measuring 5,000 square metres was allotted to us by the Noida Authority. We are building an underground parking on 2,500 square metres on top of which a park will be created. On the rest of the area, a green belt has to be maintained by us. All this is being done as per regulations and a licence fee has also been paid for it.”

Officials at Noida Authority declined to comment on the issue, maintaining that the matter was sub judice.
The petition also claimed that construction at the site was being carried out “without adhering to any of the norms which are required to be complied to control dust, which causes air pollution”.

It highlighted that the district office of the UP Pollution Control Board had on October 28 sent a notice to the builder, stating that during an inspection, it was noticed that arrangements such as water sprinklers and sheets to control dust emission were not present. The notice asked the builder to inform the district officer about the measures taken on the matter, failing which action would be taken.

Kailash Healthcare authorities said that they had no knowledge of such a notice. “All regulations are being followed and, for almost a week, no construction activity has been taking place,” Sharma said. On alleged groundwater extraction, Sharma said, “Water is being taken from a water treatment plant and no groundwater extraction is taking place.”