NOIDA: One day after the Noida Authority fined nine restaurants and sweet shops, an additional eight wedding and banquet halls in sector 51 have been penalised with Rs 5 lakhs each for improper treatment of waste water.
As per officials, the authority is undertaking a drive against restaurants, hotels, banquet halls, and motor servicing workshops, that lack grease traps and effluent treatment plants (ETPs).
However, several units continue dumping untreated greasy waste directly into storm-water drains and sewer lines. “Notices have been issued to the violators and time has been given to them to pay fines. If they are still not complying with the rules, their premises will be sealed,” said Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M.
The CEO said that the sealing drive is set to continue from Thursday. Till now, the Noida authority has issued fines worth Rs 77 lakhs on violators in just two days.
The Noida Authority in a statement said that in February, notices had been issued to over 100 hotels, restaurants, and auto repair shops across the city over improper waste disposal.
This initiative follows frequent complaints from residents and environmentalists about the hospitality industry and service centers flouting environmental norms.
Later, the authority imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on 35 hotels and restaurants for not rectifying the issue despite notices, the statements reads.
The discharge of untreated waste into storm water drains and sewer lines result in severe blockages. The automobile centres are often found releasing water, mobile oil, and grease directly into sewers and drains thus choking them.
The UP Pollution Control Board has mandated that the greasy waste should undergo treatment through ETP and grease traps before being discharged into the main trunk sewer line.