Ghaziabad: The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday issued notices to a private builder, Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) and the district magistrate, besides several other authorities concerned over a petition filed by a Delhi-based environmentalist who alleged that the builder, Panchsheel Buildtech, in connivance with government authorities is constructing a highrise building in Vaishali Sector 3 in violation of several environmental norms including illegal extraction of water from the area already identified as dark zone.
Shailesh Singh, the petitioner, said “The builder has not taken any permission from the authority to build in the dark zone and in this manner has completely overlooked the environmental norms. The description mentioned on the company’s website is entirely different on the ground. The entire green part shown on the website is covered with cemented slabs leaving no scope for greenery. It has also concealed illegal water extraction through borewells.”
Singh stated that he had also filed a complaint with the UP government’s integrated grievance redressal (IGRS) system on April 30, 2018.
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NGT has directed the authorities to restrict extraction of groundwater. The rules pertaining to extracting groundwater has been completely ignored. CWGA should be directed to furnish a reply in this regard, he added. The officials of the private construction company could not be contacted for their comment despite repeated attempts.