Haryana State Pollution Control Board flouts NGT norms, notices issued

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has failed to follow the National Green Tribunal (NGT) norms in the city as construction materials are still being dumped along major roads in posh localities across the city.

The roads leading to posh localities are covered with slush, stones and dust and are a safety hazard.

Even though 15 construction projects were sealed all along the Golf Course Road as they were not following NGT’s orders about controlling air pollution in NCR, other sites in the city do not seem concerned about the ban.

The NGT order that came last month stated, “We direct Huda and the state of Haryana to immediately direct stoppage of construction activities of all buildings shown in the report as well as at other sites wherever construction is being carried out in violation of the NGT directions as well as the MoEF guidelines of 2010.”

Sources said that the town and country planning department has issued 25-30 notices to stop construction activities on the road meandering through DLF 4 and 5. Some of the large projects on this stretch include the Rapid Metro extension, widening of the road by DLF and Huda and other societies. Roads are covered with slush, stones and dust and are a safety hazard. There are also traffic jams during peak hours due to dilapidated roads.

According to the residents, cases of respiratory problems have increased in the city as stretches remain dusty throughout the day.

Sanjay Batra, president of Ridgewood Condominium Association said, “The uncovered construction material has created a nuisance. Some agencies had dug up the roads of our locality to lay an optical fibre wire and we had to cover roads on our own.”

The projects that were banned earlier were mostly along the Golf Course extension road and one in Sector 106.