Ghaziabad civic body stops tiling work

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Tiling being done in Sector 3 of Raj Nagar, Ghaziabad, in violation of National Green Tribunal orders. file photo

: Acting against rampant concretisation work in Ghaziabad, the city’s Municipal Corporation has halted several such projects and has written a letter to its chief engineer. Ground concretisation and tiling are in violation of orders given by the National Green Tribunal.

Additional Municipal Commissioner D.K. Sinha wrote a letter to Chief Engineer of Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam R.K. Mittal warning him against further violations of the order.

The letter states that the office of the chief engineer, despite having complete knowledge, is “intentionally” allowing such projects: “…your (Chief Engineer) department is intentionally violating the orders of the NGT.”

Environmental activist Akash Vashishtha, who has been fighting against ground concretisation in Ghaziabad and on whose complaint this action has been taken, said “it is a tragic example of corruption at some level and the strong words used in the letter shows how the whole system of the corporation is.”

“The letter clearly states that officially, the Nagar Nigam is not allowing any concretisation of roadsides or park and that it is the act of a few officials and councillors who are perpetrating environmental destruction,” he said.

Mr. Sinha told The Hindu that his office sent the letter “after receiving complaints about use of interlocking tiles in many parks”.

Directing Mr. Mittal to look into all projects, the letter also warned that “if any coercive order is passed by the NGT (due to violations in Ghaziabad), the entire responsibility will rest on you (chief engineer)”.

Mr. Mittal and Municipal Commissioner Abdul Samad could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.

In August, the NGT had constituted a committee to be headed by the District Magistrate with Ghaziabad Development Authority Vice Chairman and a IIT Professor on board to study the extent of concretisation in the city and possible solutions. ADM Preeti Jaiswal informed that a draft has been prepared in compliance of the NGT order but it is yet to be approved.