Greater Noida Groundwater Case: 13 Builders, NGT, Conflicting Claims

• UPPCB proposes penalties on 22 builders for alleged groundwater violations

• Noida Authority says 13 builders legally bought treated water for projects

• NGT to hear the case amid unanswered questions over remaining developers

Noida: A dispute over alleged illegal groundwater extraction by real estate developers in Greater Noida has taken a new turn, with conflicting statements from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and Noida Authority submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The matter is scheduled for hearing on Tuesday.

The controversy stems from affidavits filed by both authorities on consecutive days in January. UPPCB, in its submission dated January 23, stated that 22 builders were identified for potential penalties, proposing fines calculated at 1% of their respective project costs for allegedly extracting groundwater without authorisation.

However, Noida Authority’s affidavit dated January 24 presents a different picture. It claims that 13 out of the 22 builders had legally purchased 3.80 lakh kilolitres of STP-treated water, worth approximately Rs 19 lakh, between 2013 and 2023 for use across nearly 80 construction projects. If verified, these developers may be exempt from penalties.

Notably, the Noida Authority affidavit does not clarify the water sources used by the remaining nine builders, leaving a critical gap in the record. Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has also not submitted additional clarification on the issue so far.

The case originates from a 2022 application filed by Prasoon Pant and Pradeep Kumar, who sought action against 63 real estate companies for allegedly extracting and using groundwater illegally in their Greater Noida projects.

Following the petition, the NGT constituted a joint committee to investigate. In its April 28 report last year, the committee observed that 22 of the 63 projects examined had not used groundwater, prompting the tribunal to seek confirmation from UPPCB and GNIDA regarding the actual water sources.

On October 30, the tribunal noted that only 10 builders had submitted responses about their water procurement and directed authorities to obtain explanations from the remaining developers. Subsequently, Noida Authority provided details of 13 builders and their projects that relied on treated sewage water supplied by the authority.

The tribunal had earlier impleaded Noida Authority in July at the request of the applicants to ensure comprehensive verification.

As the NGT prepares to hear the matter, the focus will be on reconciling these conflicting claims, determining the status of the remaining builders, and establishing whether penalties are justified — a decision that could have significant implications for regulatory compliance in Greater Noida’s real estate sector.