Illegal operation of hotels in Mussoorie: NGT imposes fine, seeks new report

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB) for not submitting the required information regarding the illegal operation of some hotels in Mussoorie.

The NGT, which has also sought a fresh report from the board, was hearing a matter regarding some hotels in the Uttarakhand hill station flouting environmental norms and their unregulated withdrawal of water from the Mussoorie lake. In November last year, the tribunal took note of a report of the UKPCB that said 106 hotels in Mussoorie were operating without the Consent to Operate (CTO). Noting some deficiencies in the report, the NGT had directed the board to file a fresh document and imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on it.

“Now, the fresh action-taken report has been filed by the UKPCB, but there is no response in pursuance of the direction in respect of the management of sewage, water balance and dual-piping system. The direction has remained uncomplied even after the imposition of cost,” a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said. The tribunal granted a further four weeks to the UKPCB to submit a new report.