NGT questions environment authority over environmental clearance of 'Spectrum Mall'

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh environment authority SEIAA to submit a report on a mall in Noida following a plea alleging that no valid environmental clearance has been taken for its construction.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the UP State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) to furnish report through e-mail within a month.

The tribunal directed the petitioner Dharmendra Singh to furnish a complete set of papers to SEIAA for compliance of this order.

"Allegation in this application is that a commercial project 'Spectrum Mall' has been illegally constructed in NOIDA... having built up area of 1,40,360.19 square metre and plot area of 25,471.00 square meters. No valid environmental clearance has been taken.

"In view of the above allegations, we consider it necessary to require the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority to furnish a report about the factual aspects of the matter within one month," the bench said.

The tribunal has posted the matter for consideration on January 28.

Singh has alleged in his petition that construction for the project, located in sector 75, was started in 2016 but environmental clearance was taken much later.

The plea alleged that the status of project depicted was "proposed project" while seeking clearance and the date of submission of application was February 11 this year, which was accepted by SEIAA and forwarded to State Expert Appraisal Committee on February 15 and accepted by it on February 21. The final clearance was granted on June 11.

The NGT reiterated that every order of the NGT is binding as a decree of court and non-compliance is actionable by way of punitive action in terms of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

(With inputs from agencies.)