The fate of constructions coming up within 10-km radius of the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in Greater Noida is likely to be decided within the next fortnight with the Centre seeking reports from the Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the National Green Tribunal’s order against such projects. Sources said the Union Environment Ministry is keen to reduce the eco-sensitive zone around the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in Noida to 2-km radius from 10-km radius proposed by the National Green Tribunal order last year.
However, the final decision will depend on the land survey report to be submitted by the States within a fortnight. The Sources further said the Ministry is likely to issue a notification on eco-sensitive zone by July 15.
The Supreme Court had earlier this month upheld the stay on construction imposed by the National Green Tribunal in the eco-sensitive zone surrounding the Okhla Bird Sanctuary but had also empowered the Centre to take a final decision in this regard.On June 10, the court refused to entertain a plea of real estate firm Jaypee Infratech seeking a direction to Noida Authority to grant completion certificate to its projects which fall within 10-km radius of a bird sanctuary.
A bench of justices JS Kehar and C Naggapan had said, “let the Central Government take a decision on this issue.” It dismissed the plea of the firm which was filed against interim orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). While directing that all construction in a 10-km radius be halted, the NGT had restrained the Noida Authority from granting completion certification to all the affected projects in the zone.
The NGT had also deemed all Environmental Clearances as “inoperational” until a No Objection Certificate is secured from the National Board For Wildlife. Builders appealed against this NGT order in the Supreme Court but it had dismissed the petition outright.