Supreme Court has ordered strict action against guilty NCR builders

Q: The days after hitting realtors for constructing housing union without environment clearance, the supreme court asked Delhi, UP and Haryana to detail action taken against builders who failed to obey to rules for controlling dust pollution at their sites.

Anuskha Chandan, Mumbai

22nd January 2016

Legal in Mumbai

supreme court

action against ncr builders

cpcb rules

epca

environment protection and control authority

Follow Discussion

Also see discussions for

Mumbai Legal Legal in Mumbai

Replies (3)

Yet, the counsel for UP and Haryana could also not give details of action taken against builders for violating the CPCB norms on construction. The bench asked EPCA to make surprise checks at various construction sites in the three states enlisiting help from voluntary organisations and file a detailed report before the court.

Tamal, Delhi-NCR

22nd January 2016

Comment

Hi Tamal,
The bench also asked the state governments to file status report on the action taken by their statutory authorities, including state pollution control boards, against errant builders by the next date of hearing on February 16.

jitu jayswal,

22nd January 2016

And because of that three states decided to take strict action against those builders. As many as 172 notices were issued to different builders. The maximum penalty for construction laws violation was a only Rs 50000 which was peanuts for a big builder and not a deterrent.

Kunal,

22nd January 2016

Comment

While a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur did not agree and said If the fine is recurring and imposed every day, it would make the builder nicely follow the dust control rules. But, the problem is that the inspectors are not douing their job properly.

jitu jayswal,

22nd January 2016

@Jitu,
Can the Environment Protection and Control Authority (EPCA) make surprise checks on construction sites to examine whether they followed the dust control norms?

Sishir,

22nd January 2016

Well Sishir,
If Environment Protection and Control Authority makes a report and points out lapses on part of the inspecting officers from statutory authorities, they will immediately order suspension of such officers.

jitu jayswal,

22nd January 2016

It is absolutely right that the construction industry was a major source of pollution, responsible for around 4% of particulate discharge, more water pollution incidents than any other industry, and thousands of noise-pollution complaints every year.

Kunal,

22nd January 2016

Comment

Yes, and we see no reason to decline a direction to that effect. CPCB norms regarding prevention of pollution by putting curtains and other devices at construction sites must be strictly enforced by enforcement agencies concerned.

Sishir,

22nd January 2016