GREATER NOIDA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, the Greater Noida authority and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to jointly ensure 100% sewer connections in villages falling under Greater Noida area, after flagging continued discharge of untreated sewage into open land, roads and storm water drains.
Hearing the original application alleging large-scale sewage discharge in villages under Greater Noida authority’s jurisdiction, on December 15, a bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that untreated sewage was being discharged in violation of environmental norms in several villages of Greater Noida, necessitating coordinated action by the authorities.
During the proceedings, Greater Noida authority (GNIDA) submitted a detailed status report stating that out of 124 villages notified for Greater Noida, sewer connectivity issues needed to be examined in 115 villages, after excluding uninhabited and partially notified villages where the Abadi areas fall outside Greater Noida’s jurisdiction.
Placing its compliance status on record, the Authority stated that as of January 31, 2025, it had connected 46 villages to sewage treatment plants (STPs) and achieved 100% household sewer connections in 25 villages. It also told the tribunal that sewer connections were being provided “free of cost” and that despite constraints, it had been able to connect 11,383 households.
During the hearing, senior counsel appearing for the Authority submitted that the Authority “does not have any policing power and there is open violation of the norms by some of residents but action cannot be taken”.
However, the tribunal noted that the report revealed general reluctance on the part of villagers to get their house connected to the sewer network. It further recorded the Authority’s submission that villagers were draining cattle excreta/animal dung into drains causing chocking and overflowing of the drains and increase of faecal matter in the drains.
“We find that joint effort is required by DM, Gautam Budh Nagar, GNIDA and UPPCB, we form a joint committee comprising of the representative of UPPCB, some higher officer appointed by the CEO, GNIDA and DM. The additional CEO, GNIDA will ensure that this joint committee carries out the directions of the tribunal and proper coordination exists in that committee. The commissioner of police will extend due cooperation to the joint committee”, the NGT bench stated.
“The joint committee will take all possible steps permissible in law to ensure that 100% sewer connection is provided to households in the villages concerned. If any household does not accept the sewer connection and discharge the sewage in violation of the environmental norms, member secretary, UPPCB will ensure that proper environmental compensation is levied by following due procedure of law,” the NGT bench noted.
The joint committee has been directed to “do the needful within 10 weeks” and submit an action taken report at least one week before the next hearing on March 10, 2026.