NGT Orders Groundwater Usage Report from Noida, Greater Noida Authorities

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has mandated that the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), along with the Noida and Greater Noida Authorities, provide an updated report on groundwater usage for real estate projects within four weeks. This decision was announced during a recent hearing led by a Bench including Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr A Senthil Vel, an expert member.

The Tribunal is currently reviewing compliance with its earlier order issued on July 29, 2025, which involved an assessment of 63 construction projects by a Joint Committee. The Committee’s findings indicated that 22 projects were not utilizing groundwater. However, the NGT expressed concern that 14 of these 22 projects failed to provide necessary documentation to verify their water sources to the Member Secretary of the UPPCB and the Noida and Greater Noida Authorities.

Despite previous directives, the NGT noted that while the UPPCB submitted a response on October 25, no verification report had been received from the authorities of Noida and Greater Noida. During the proceedings, a Senior Counsel for the Greater Noida Authority informed the Tribunal that notices had been dispatched to all relevant projects, yet 12 projects had not submitted their required records.

In light of this information, the Tribunal granted a final deadline of four weeks to the UPPCB and the Noida, Greater Noida Authorities to complete the updated verification report. The matter is scheduled for further review on January 27, 2026.

This latest direction from the NGT underscores the ongoing scrutiny of groundwater management practices in the region, emphasizing the need for accountability among construction projects and their environmental impacts. The Tribunal’s commitment to ensuring compliance reflects its broader mandate to safeguard natural resources and promote sustainable development.