Sewage released directly into drain, developer fined Rs 6.8 crore in Gurgaon

GURGAON: The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has directed the builder of Malibu Town to pay up Rs 6.8 crore as environmental compensation, days after an inspection found that the Sector 47 colony was releasing sewage directly into a GMDA drain without treating the waste.
The colony spread over 225 acres is home to 2,500 families.
In its order dated March 24, HSPCB said the colony was found to be "polluting in nature" and "covered under "red category" - among the most polluting areas as per the board's score - and its builder has to deposit the amount within 7 days.
"It is hereby ordered with the directions to the unit M/s Malibu Estate Pvt Ltd, Malibu Town, Sohna Road, Gurgaon to deposit environmental compensation of Rs 6,84,37,500 with the Haryana State Pollution Control Board as environment compensation within seven days on account of the damage caused by the unit to the environment," it said.
"We have issued a penalty of Rs 6.8 crore to Malibu Town. In case they fail to deposit the amount, we will take action as per the law," said Kuldeep Singh, regional officer, HSPCB.
Repeated calls to the builder's number on its official website went unanswered till Tuesday night.
The project came under the pollution board's scanner earlier this month, when it carried out an inspection of the three sewage treatment plants at the colony. HSPCB officials found that the colony's sewer line was directly connected to the GMDA's drain network and all waste was being released into it without treating it first.
All samples exceeded the permissible limits of pollutants. For instance, biological oxygen demand (a measure of how much oxygen is used up for organic waste to decompose in a water body.
The higher this value, the more waste there is) should be lower than 30 mg/l but that found in samples collected from Malibu Town was 48 mg/l. Similarly, chemical oxygen demand (a measure of oxygen needed to oxidise all the organic matter into carbon dioxide) was gauged at 260 mg/l, when its permissible limit is 250 mg/l.
The colony was also under HSPCB's scanner late last year. The board in December 2022 slapped a closure notice on Malibu Town for not disposing of sewage water properly and not getting environmental clearance on STP management.
The closure did not affect the residents, but enforced a ban on fresh sale of properties there. The developer also can't carry out any sale deeds related to the colony plots, flats, houses, shops, or any other unit.
Additionally, DHBVN was asked not to release any new electric connections for the project and ongoing construction was halted.