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The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has recommended a substantial fine of Rs 230 crore on 30 developers operating in Greater Noida West, popularly known as Noida Extension. These developers have been accused of illegally extracting groundwater, and the case is currently being heard by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The CGWA's recommendation follows an interim compensation of Rs 76 crore that was levied on 38 builders in May by a joint committee consisting of the Central Pollution Control Board, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, and the district administration.
The need for the district-level joint committee arose following a petition filed by two environmentalists in June of the previous year, claiming that 63 residential projects in Greater Noida and Greater Noida West were illegally extracting groundwater. The committee conducted a comprehensive assessment of these projects in two phases and discovered the presence of borewells in 41 of them. While three projects had obtained permission to use groundwater, the remaining 38 had not sought such approval.
Consequently, the UPPCB issued notices to the 38 builders, urging them to pay 0.5% of the project cost as environmental compensation. However, no response was received from these builders. Subsequently, the board issued notices demanding that the builders pay a fine of Rs 76.5 crore within a span of 15 days.
Radhe Shyam, the regional officer of UPPCB, announced that the CGWA's recommended final compensation amount has been forwarded to the NGT panel. Additionally, a committee meeting is scheduled for later this week, which will be chaired by the additional district magistrate to discuss the CGWA's recommendation.
To determine the final compensation, the CGWA relied on data provided by the UPPCB and the Greater Noida Authority pertaining to the 41 projects in question.
The groundwater department of the district reports that GB Nagar falls under the 'notified' to 'over-exploited' zone in terms of groundwater depletion. Specifically, two of its three blocks, namely Bisrakh and Jewar, fall under the over-exploited category, while Dadri is classified as semi-critical. Over the course of a year, the water table in Greater Noida has experienced a decline from 13.60 meters in 2021 to 13.79 meters in 2022. Similarly, in Jewar, the water table dropped from 8.52 meters in 2021 to 8.81 meters in 2022.
The recommendations made by the CGWA serve as a stern reminder of the urgent need to address the issue of illegal groundwater extraction and the subsequent environmental implications. It highlights the importance of regulating and monitoring water usage to ensure the sustainable management of groundwater resources. Taking necessary measures to curb unauthorized extraction is crucial in safeguarding the region's water table and preserving the delicate ecological balance.
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