Illegal gensets? Hostels in Greater Noida set to face pollution board's action
National Green Tribunal
has given the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) three weeks to inspect hostels and PG accommodations in Greater Noida and submit an action-taken report.
This follows a Nov 2023 complaint about environmental violations, including groundwater exploitation.
The tribunal closed the case after UPPCB confirmed notices had already been issued and action was underway.
While disposing of the matter on Nov 6, 2023, the tribunal stated, "Since the action has already been initiated by the competent authority, therefore, at this stage, no further direction in the original application is required except directing the authorities to take appropriate action in accordance with the law and in pursuance of the notices already issued.
If the proceedings in this regard are still pending, the regional officer, UPPCB Greater Noida, will conclude the same within six months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order and will file an action-taken report before the registrar general of the Tribunal.
"
Twenty-one months after the issuance of the direction, as the petitioner, Nishant Singh, found no improvement, he moved an execution application, seeking fresh direction to the pollution control board for compliance with the order.
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Hearing this, the tribunal on July 30 expressed surprise over the UPPCB not yet inspecting the matter of over-exploitation of groundwater. The bench, comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Srivastava, Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agrawal, and Expert Members Dr A Senthil Vel and Dr Afroz Ahmad, noted, "A compliance report by way of an affidavit dated July 29, 2025, has been filed by the UPPCB stating that all the hostels are connected with the sewage system of Greater Noida, but the report is silent on the issue of groundwater extraction by these hostels.
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"Out of 41 hostels, three are closed and five hostels do not have DG sets, six hostels have DG sets of less than a capacity of 19KW, so show cause notices have been issued to 27 hostels under the Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1981, and a reply to the show cause notice is awaited," Pradeep Mishra, appearing for the UPPCB, informed the tribunal, adding that upon receiving the reply, action will be taken.
The matter is listed to be heard again on Oct 31.
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