GURUGRAM: The Haryana State Pollution Control Board(HSPCB) inspected only 32 construction sites in the past four years — on an average only eight in a year — in Gurugram, a real estate hub that witnesses large-scale construction activities round the year.
The response to an RTI query has revealed that the pollution watchdog examined two under-construction hotels, and 30 residential and commercial complexes since 2013.
This is despite well spelt-out guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which mandates regularly inspections at construction sites to prevent dust pollution. Further, in its directives issued from time to time, NGT has instructed all pollution boards in Delhi/NCR, including HSPCB, to keep tabs on all construction activities and impose a hefty penalty of Rs 50,000 on builders if they are found to be violating any environmental norm.
In fact, there is a dedicated field officer to carry out inspections at construction sites in Gurugram."The field officer has been entrusted the work to oversee and check dust pollution being caused by construction projects," states the RTI response given by the HSPCB (a copy of which is with TOI).
But, the field officer seems to have done little to ensure that green norms are followed.
"Construction projects are a major source of dust pollution in the city. It is unfortunate that the regulatory agency deals with the issue of air pollution in the city so casually," said AseemTakyar, who had filed the RTI application.
Environmental activist AmeenaShervani said that she had filed a similar RTI plea with the department of town and country planning in 2013 to know if builders in the city were following construction norms. "I found out that notices for violation of norms were issued to builders back in 1980s and 1990s. In 2000s, there was hardly any developer, who was pulled up or penalised for violating green norms," she recalled.
"Unfortunately, the situation is still the same. The authorities are just acting as mute spectators while Gurgaonites are dying due to rising pollution," Shervani rued.
As per the guidelines laid down by the NGT, builders should to put up green barriers and wind-breaking walls around construction sites, keep construction material, such as sand, gravel, cement etc. covered, keep construction waste covered, install sprinklers to settle dust and provide masks and gloves to construction workers.
