The UP pollution control board implemented an NGT (national green tribunal) order by sealing of Haj house in Ghaziabad. The order passed on February 6, 2018, comes in response to the petition filed by ‘Residents of Ghaziabad Welfare Association’.
The Haj house had been inaugurated by former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on September 2016.
In Ghaziabad, inaugurated the newly constructed Haj House to benefit people from UP going on the holy pilgrimage. pic.twitter.com/gKhkRJtAkf
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) September 5, 2016
In order of the case Himanshu Mittal & others vs Union of India & others, the court examined whether the Haj house was built on the floodplain as accused by the petitioners. It also checked whether the building was polluting the river Hindon.
Ghaziabad Haj House sealed after an order of National Green Tribunal (NGT) as it did not have a Sewage Treatment Plant and it’s effluents were polluting Hindon river and underground water. pic.twitter.com/1dxVPmfHdG
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 21, 2018
Details of the NGT order
The NGT order said :
In such circumstances, particularly after having observed that this does not fall in the floodplain zone, we are of the considered opinion that demolition of the Haj House is not called for, however, in the interest of environment we pass the following order:-
1. The application for demolition of the Haj House is dismissed.
2. Respondent No. 8 U.P. Haj House Committee is directed to ensure that there is STP to treat the domestic effluent of 136 KLD installed and commissioned at the said site as per the requirement of the U.P. Pollution Control Board.
3. U.P. Pollution Control Board shall inspect the said premises within one week and in event of there being no STP of the specific capacity been found installed at the said Haj House the Haj House shall be sealed.
Liberty is granted to Respondent No. 8 U.P. Haj House Committee to approach the Tribunal for de-sealing the said premises in the event of their being full compliance of the directions of U.P. Pollution Control Board.
After examination of records submitted by government authorities, the court ruled that the building was not on the floodplain and therefore dismissed the plea to demolish it. However, it ordered that the sewage treatment plant that was recommended by officials in a report Regional Officer of U.P. Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) dated 31st May 2016 must be inspected by officials within a week.
The UPPCB report had noticed that a domestic effluent of 115 KLD could be generated and had proposed a sewage treatment plant of 136 KLD for the Hajj house. However, UPPCB had not inspected the building to ensure compliance with Haj board before its inauguration.
The UP pollution control board inspected the building and found that it was not compliant with its earlier recommendation on sewage treatment plant and hence sealed the building as per the order of NGT. This is not the permanent sealing of the Haj house but an interim action till the sewage treatment plant is set up.
