Ghaziabad : NGT Says in Three Months Hotels, Restaurants & Malls Get Pollution Certificate

                The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed on 
Wednesday hospitality establishments — 
hotels, malls, banquet halls, restaurants with 
seating capacity of 36 upwards — in the 
district 
to obtain consent to operate certificate from 
the state pollution control board within 3 
months or face shut down.

The certification allows for the discharge of 
effluent (sewage or trade effluent) into a sewer 
or land, as well as the emission of air 
pollutants.

NGT asked the UPPCB to take "punitive, 
preventive, prohibitive and remedial steps 
including, assessment and recovery of 
environmental compensation, expeditiously " 
against 
establishments that were previously granted 
time by it to obtain consent to operate 
certificate but had not done so.

Compliance conditions mentioned in consent 
to operate certifiactes must be abided by the 
establishments and this has to be made sure 
by the board, it added.
The directive came in the wake of an original 
application filed by environmentalists Pradeep 
Dahalyia and Prasoon Pant in NGT last year. 
The duo had alleged that 21 large hospitality 
entities in the city were not following 
environmental norms and were causing 
pollution. Later on, more hospitality 
establishments were brought under the ambit 
of a survey carried out 
by the state pollution control board.
"In respect of the orders of environmental 
composition already passed by the UPPCB, we 
clarify that these orders are appealable under 
the relevant statutes. Therefore, the aggrieved 
persons may avail such statutory remedy in 
accordance with law and this order shall not 
affect those orders already passed," the 
tribunal directed.

Giving further reprieve to such establishments, 
NGT said "However, in respect of the closure 
orders already passed, but later consent has 
been obtained, appropriate order to enable 
such proponents to operate shall be passed by 
the competent authority of UPPCB in 
accordance with law without any further delay."

Environmentalists said NGT has made it clear 
that hospitality establishments will have to 
comply with the Water and Air Acts. "Directions 
in this order should be replicated across other 
regions of UP and in other states," Dahaliya 
said.

NGT further directed that a compliance report 
shall be filed by UPPCB by Jan 15, 2025, 
showing the status as on Dec 31, 2024, before 
the registrar general of the tribunal and if any 
further order is required, the matter shall be 
placed before the bench concerned.

UPPCB had recently submitted a status report 
wherein it had directed closure of 15 units 
while issuing show-cause notices as well as 
environmental compensation on 25 
establishments, including Aditya Mall, 
Indirapuram; Garam Dharam, Arthala; Hotel 
Grand Tushar, Chaudhary Mod; Mangalam 
Banquet, Vasundhara among other such 
establishments. 
Closure order has been initiated against Hotel 
Clarks Inn, Raj Nagar; Royal Enterprises, 
Bhopura; Pind Balluchi, Crossings Republik; 
Hotel Platinum, Sahibabad; Golden Leaf 
restaurant, Sahibabad among others.

Source : The Economic Time