Pollution norms violated, HPCB slaps Rs 70L penalty

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, December 1

The Haryana Pollution Control Board (HPCB) has issued notices for recovery of around Rs 70 lakh penalty for violation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) norms in place to contain pollution in the city.

GRAP measures introduced by the Ministry of Environment have been into force since October 15 in the NCR. HPCB officials said those served notices included the NHAI, Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) and a builder company for indulging in activities leading to pollution. Besides, four diesel generator units and a packaging unit of Sector 24 have also been issued notices for violating norms. The quantum of penalty in these cases will be decided later, it is claimed.

While the NHAI and MCF have been fined Rs 10 lakh each, the builder, engaged in construction of an apartment building in Sector 16, has been slapped a penalty of Rs 50 lakh. “Notices to the MCF and the NHAI have been issued after it was found that they had not been sprinkling water on roads and certain spots on a regular basis,” said a senior official of the HPCB.

He said final realisation of the penalty depended on the defaulters’ response as the activities of urgent nature were spared if the specified norms or measures were followed.

Claiming that though complaints of violations had been low this year, a district official said dust and damaged roads were one of the leading causes of pollution. Claiming that while over 160 challans to the tune of Rs 4 lakh had been imposed by the MCF for improper garbage disposal and waste burning, an official said FIR might be lodged against defaulters.

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