2 days ago
Illegal shops set up along Galleria Market Road, NGT serves notice to govt agencies in Gurgaon
Gurgaon: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated proceedings against CPCB, HSPCB, deputy commissioner, MCG commissioner and others over illegal commercial activities and environmental violations on a plot of land along the road leading to upscale Galleria market in in Sector 27.
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Shops, eateries and workshops have been set up illegally on the land by private respondents without obtaining approvals, including land-use clearance, building plans or environmental consents, a complaint filed by local resident Shiv Kumar Dubey said.
Dubey, who claimed the unauthorised operations were causing severe pollution and endangering public health, filed the application under sections 14, 15 and 18 of the NGT Act, 2010, highlighting "rampant violations" in areas situated near Hamilton Court and Galleria Market.
The plots in question include khasra numbers 446/1/1, 446/1/1/3, 458, 459 and 460.
Saying the matter raises critical environmental concerns, the NGT bench — comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad — on May 30 directed issuance of notices to the concerned respondents, asking them to submit replies before the next hearing on July 4.
The complaint alleges these establishments engage in activities such as the illegal use and sale of diesel generator (DG) sets, open dumping and burning of waste, untreated sewage discharge and unregulated use of heavy vehicles.
These operations, he says, have severely degraded air quality and increased noise pollution in the area.
An inspection carried out by DHBVN (Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam) on Feb 21 had confirmed illegal electricity connections and unauthorised power resale by two landlords. Following this, the electricity supply was disconnected, but the accused parties allegedly continued operations using DG sets in violation of environmental norms.
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Dubey, who works in the vicinity, said on Wednesday the pollution from construction materials, vehicular dust and untreated waste has led to serious health issues among residents and workers. He claims that several complaints made to civic and environmental authorities since August 2024 have gone unanswered.
The petitioner has sought immediate sealing of illegal operations, penalties on violators, cancellation of licences and a zoning audit to assess the scale of damage. He also invoked Article 21 of the Constitution, saying the right to a clean environment is an essential part of the right to life.
