The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) sent show-cause notices to 251 under-construction sites for failing to register on the dust audit portal. The notice, dated Oct 20, seeks environmental compensation totalling more than Rs 30 million. Meanwhile, the city's AQI remained in the ‘poor' category on Sunday, showing only slight improvement at 206, against 229 on Friday. Neighbouring Ghaziabad saw a similar improvement, recording an AQI of 253 in the poor category, against 243 the previous day On Oct 17, CAQM had released a Revised Graded Response Action which mandated all under-construction sites with a plot area exceeding 500 square metres in NCR conduct a ‘Self Audit: Dust Control Audit' on the UPECP.IN portal.

"During the initial days of Stage I of GRAP, our team conducted inspections and discovered that numerous construction projects on plot sizes exceeding 500 sqm were still actively engaged in construction activities, despite our extensive outreach efforts. Consequently, we requested the Authority to provide comprehensive details of all ongoing construction projects on plots larger than 500 square metres within their jurisdiction," said Utsav Sharma, UPPCB regional officer.

In response, the Authority provided information that construction was being carried out on 350 such plots in Noida. After analysing the details, it was found that 91 of the 350 had been registered on the portal. It was also noted that six of the remaining plots were less than 500 sqm in area, and the plot size information was not available for 2 plots.

On Feb 6, the CAQM had issued a standard schedule encompassing all violations to attain sector wise uniformity in imposition of environmental compensation. The fines for not registering sites on the portal or not uploading self audit reports had been decided in the order.

"These sites would be given an opportunity to represent their case and ensure compliance in stipulated time, failing which the show cause would be confirmed, and action would be initiated," Utsab Sharma.

Meanwhile, the Greater Noida pollution department recommended a fine of 50,000 each on two projects for violating GRAP guidelines on Saturday. In Ghaziabad, the pollution department recommended a fine of Rs 50,000 on a manufacturing unit based in Tronica City, Loni on the same day.