The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has stepped in after residents of a Gurgaon housing society raised an alarm over the alleged illegal installation of two dozen high-capacity diesel generator sets and a cooling tower right next to their homes and a metro station. The tribunal has issued formal notices to eight different entities, including government bodies and a private developer, seeking their responses.
Substantial Compliance Issues Flagged by Tribunal
On November 27, an NGT bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel observed that the case presented substantial issues regarding compliance with environmental norms. The bench directed the respondents to file their replies at least one week before the next scheduled hearing.
The applicants, residents of the National Media Centre society, are aggrieved by the construction and proposed installation of 24 DG sets with a total capacity of 67,500 KVA along with a cooling tower. They argue this work is being carried out without the mandatory approval from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB).
Alleged Violations of Environmental Clearance Conditions
Representing the society, senior advocate Sanjay Upadhyay submitted that the generators are being set up adjacent to the Moulsari Avenue Rapid Metro Station and right next to the residential society, an area that also houses a preschool and daycare facility. This, he argued, violates explicit conditions of the project's Environmental Clearance (EC).
A critical point of contention is that the EC mandated the project proponent to decide the DG set location in consultation with the HSPCB. The residents presented an RTI reply from July 24, 2025, which confirmed that the pollution board had not specified any location, implying the developer proceeded without this crucial clearance.
The petitioners highlighted a second major violation. They stated that the new DG block and cooling tower are being built outside the over 36-acre area approved in the EC, specifically in an area marked as 'Part B'. Furthermore, they accused the developer of breaching another clear EC condition that prohibits any construction below a 220 kV high-tension transmission line passing through the project site. The residents allege structures are currently being raised directly under this power corridor.
Who Has Received Notices from the NGT?
The NGT has issued notices to the following eight respondents, indicating the wide scope of the inquiry:
- Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Limited
- The Haryana Government
- State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Haryana)
- Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB)
- Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) Haryana
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)
- A Private Developer
- Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
The tribunal's intervention underscores the growing conflict between urban development projects and environmental regulations in rapidly expanding cities like Gurgaon. The next hearing will depend on the replies filed by these entities, which will determine the future course of this legal and environmental dispute.
