NGT slaps 22.5 crore penalty on six Sonipat builders

The National Green Tribunal has slapped an interim penalty of Rs 22.5 crore on six builders in Haryana's Sonipat area for violation of environmental norms, saying the transgressions are of serious nature and the compensation "must have deterrent aspect". A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also constituted a joint committee comprising representatives of Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment and Forests and IIT-Delhi to suggest realistic compensation to be recovered from them. The NGT imposed environment compensation of Rs 10 crore on TDI Infrastructure Ltd, (For Kingsburry apartments), Rs 2.5 crore each on TDI Infrastructure Ltd's My Floor project in Sector-60, Tuscan City, CMD Built-Tech Pvt. Ltd, Parker Estate Development Pvt. Ltd and Narang Constructions and Financiers Pvt Ltd. "The period of violations is two years or more. The turnover of the projects is in hundreds of crores. The deficiencies are in the knowledge of the project proponents who are in regular business. During inspections noted above, project proponents have become further aware of the shortcomings. "Though Environment is priceless, quantum of Environment Compensation has to be adequate to restore the environment and must have deterrent aspect so that such violations are not profitable. No lenient attitude can be shown nor can such matters be unduly prolonged," the bench said.