Ready to Move Flats in Ghaziabad

In a major demolition drive by the Ghaziabad Development Authority, 25 acre of land along the floodplain has been freed. The land on which these construction activities had been going on is designated as floodplains in the GDA Master Plan 2021. No construction activity is permitted in this area. The total value of the land, say officials, could be between Rs 70-75 crore.

Noida and Ghaziabad crossed the 300 mark as particulate matter-10 (PM10) levels touched a high on March 28. The situation was likely to prevail in the days to come, said experts.  According to another report by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, six cities in India’s most populous state have nearly four times the PM10 level against the permissible limit. In this list of 24 cities where an air quality check was conducted in February, Ghaziabad leads this pack while Lucknow and Kanpur are listed at the second and third place, respectively.  Noida occupies the fourth place.

The Ghaziabad Development Authority is now set to take strict action against those who encroach or park on the roadside and violate air pollution norms set by the National Green Tribunal. The authority has raised the fine levied for such violations. The tow-away charges will go up to Rs 2,500 for heavy vehicles, Rs 2,000 for medium commercial vehicles and Rs 1,000 for light motor vehicles. The fine for encroachment on open spaces has been raised to Rs 50,000 per instance.

The Ghaziabad Development Authority has identified two land parcels to turn them into landfill sites. These two sites, Galand and Mohammadpur Amad Baghpat in Modinagar, will have waste-to-energy plants that will help generate power. A detailed project report will soon be submitted by a private firm hired by the civic authority.

Stray menace has been on the rise in all parts of India. However, this is one problem that civic bodies in the country have absolutely failed to tackle. Estimates show over 20,000 people die of rabies in India every year. In 2015, Global Alliance for Rabies Control reported that India accounted for 35 per cent of human rabies deaths, more than any other country. According to estimates by the United Nations, about 15,000 people are bitten, usually by dogs, in India each year.