Tribunal concerned over damage to green belt in Ghaziabad
21 Sept 2012 8:10 AM IST
Hearing a petition filed by Gaur Green City Resident Welfare Association [GGCRWA], opposing the construction of 400 KVA electric sub-station in green belt between the Gaur Green City and NH-24, the National Green Tribunal has expressed its reservations on destruction of Green Belt and directed the Ghaziabad Development Authority [GDA] to present all the details before it on final hearing of the case on 12 October.
The judges categorically said the destruction of green belt at the site is very serious and they will not hesitate to impose hefty penalty on government agencies, if held guilty.
According to the counsel of GGCRWA, Madhup Singhal, the judges were quite unhappy with the fact that the map filed by the GDA was wrong.
They also told the GDA and UPPTCL counsel that they take destruction of nature and environment very strongly and will not shy away from levying very high penalty for it.
The Tribunal categorically asked the counsel of GDA the distance between the NH-24 and the sub-station, which he could not tell and pleaded for more time.
Expressing its concern on the issue, the tribunal observed that it is the duty of DDA that while developing an area, provisions for all civic amenities should be made. It said the duty of the development authority is not only making the layouts but also to provide all civic amenities.
It was further observed that destruction of green belt is not a desirable activity. Counsel for GGCRWA maintained that the green belt that has already been reduced from originally planned 300 metres to 100 metres will remain only about 10 metres after this project and that too would be used for broadening on NH-24. After this broadening, there would be no place between the highway and the electric sub-station.
The judges categorically said the destruction of green belt at the site is very serious and they will not hesitate to impose hefty penalty on government agencies, if held guilty.
According to the counsel of GGCRWA, Madhup Singhal, the judges were quite unhappy with the fact that the map filed by the GDA was wrong.
They also told the GDA and UPPTCL counsel that they take destruction of nature and environment very strongly and will not shy away from levying very high penalty for it.
The Tribunal categorically asked the counsel of GDA the distance between the NH-24 and the sub-station, which he could not tell and pleaded for more time.
Expressing its concern on the issue, the tribunal observed that it is the duty of DDA that while developing an area, provisions for all civic amenities should be made. It said the duty of the development authority is not only making the layouts but also to provide all civic amenities.
It was further observed that destruction of green belt is not a desirable activity. Counsel for GGCRWA maintained that the green belt that has already been reduced from originally planned 300 metres to 100 metres will remain only about 10 metres after this project and that too would be used for broadening on NH-24. After this broadening, there would be no place between the highway and the electric sub-station.
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