Govt gets NGT notice over amusement park

New Delhi, July 27

A plea over the indiscriminate extraction of groundwater by an amusement park in Gurugram has prompted the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to seek the response of the state government and others in the matter.

A Bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim issued notices to the Haryana Government, the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and International Recreation And Amusement Limited (IRAL).

“Issue notice regarding admission,” the Bench said while seeking their replies before July 31. The IRAL runs Appu Ghar, which is spread over 42 acres in sector 29 of Gurugram. It has an exclusive water park, Oysters Beach, spread over 10 acres.

The NGT was hearing a plea filed by RTI activist Harinder Dhingra seeking direction to restrain Appu Ghar from using groundwater without necessary permissions and constitute an expert committee to investigate the purportedly illegal extraction of groundwater resulting in depletion of the water table.

The plea, filed through advocate Ayush Arora, stated that the amusement park was drawing groundwater despite the CGWA notifying Gurugram district as an over-exploited area, where groundwater extraction was above average annual replenishment.

Referring to an RTI query, the plea pointed out that HUDA had said in June 2016 that the amusement park was sanctioned two water connections, one of 50 mm and the other of 25 mm, while it needed much more. — PTI