The Uttar Pradesh Government continues to drag its feet on damage caused to the Dadri wetlands in Greater Noida much to the displeasure of the National Green Tribunal. The Tribunal has now asked the government to identify and examine officers in the Ghaziabad Development Authority who gave a go-ahead to Uttam Steel and Shiv Nadar University to carry out construction in the wetland area.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar has now sought to know the exact area of the U-shaped Dadri wetlands as they appear in the Survey of India map and who sanctioned the plan for the projects on the ecologically sensitive area.
It also directed the government to explain on what basis an 80-feet wide road is proposed to be made in and over the wetland, which is home to 200 species of rare and migratory birds, as reflected in the Master Plan 2020-21 and what is their present status.
Environmental activists Akash Vashishtha and Vikrant Tongad claimed that the wetlands have shrunk from 68 hectares to 30.6 hectares. Their counsel Amit Khemka submitted that construction for a megapolis on the wetlands has damaged it.
The NGT constituted a committee to look into the matter. “We direct all the officers who had dealt with the files of the project proponent in relation to the sanction of the plans should be present before the committee for their examination,” said the Bench also comprising Justice M.S. Nambiar and expert members Dr D.K. Agrawal and professor A.R. Yousuf.
The NGT was informed by the Bulandshahar Development Authority that the plan for all the projects within and around the wetlands were approved by it and the Ghaziabad Development Authority.
The BDA said it has identified the officers/persons in the GDA who had handled the file of the project proponent, but said their present postings are not exactly known.
