NGT directs committee to look into development of vendor market in Ghaziabad's Vaishali

The National Green Tribunal has directed a joint committee of the Ghaziabad Development Authority and others to look into the development of a market for vendors in Vaishali after a plea alleged that it would reduce the green cover in the area.

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel constituted a panel comprising officials from Ghaziabad Development Authority, Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam, District Magistrate, and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board.

"We direct that a joint committee...be constituted and may hold a meeting within one month to take stock of the situation and to decide further course of action in accordance with the law.

"The Ghaziabad Development Authority will be the nodal agency and will be accountable for compliance of the order of this tribunal," the bench said.

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

The action taken the report to be furnished to this tribunal on or before October 31 by e-mail, the bench said.

The order came on a plea filed by Ghaziabad resident Somnath Das and others against the development of a market for vendors in the Kali Bari Park in Sector 4 at Vaishali.

According to the petitioners, Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam has commenced work to develop the market in the park through a private contractor which will result in reducing the green cover.

"This, in turn, will add to air pollution in the already polluted city of Ghaziabad. The Nagar Nigam is also using the park for the unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste in violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016," the plea said.