NOIDA: The enthusiastic efforts to participate in the Swachh Survekshan 2019 has landed the Noida Authority in a soup as the UP Pollution Control Board has slapped the development authority with 20 notices in the past three days for violating pollution norms while constructing a series of toilets.Noida has already announced October 2 as the date to declare the city an open defecation-free zone, for which 45 pre-fabricated toilets are being built all over the city. By September 25, 70 street toilets will be built. Besides, 20 existing toilets are being upgraded. These toilets are supposed to become functional from September 25. The last date for entry to Swachh Survekshan is December 15, 2018.However, the method of construction, with material strewn around, has attracted the attention of pollution control board. The regional officer of UPPCB, Anil Singh, told TOI that the Noida Authority has piled up construction material on the roadside and did not cover them with green cloth as they are ought to by the order of National Green Tribunal. The board slapped 20 notices on the Authority so far and more could be on the way as they claimed that they were bound to impose the Environment Pollution Control Authority-mandated norms to curb air pollution.“It gets difficult when Noida Authority itself becomes a violator of pollution control norms because ordinary people will refuse to respect the rules. We expect the Authority to follow all construction rules. At those sites where notices have been sent and fines have been levied, they will be forced to stop work if the air quality worsens because the GRAP (graded response action plan) to curb air pollution is already in force in NCR,” Anil Singh said.Commenting on the construction of toilets, Noida Authority said that work is in progress to overhaul the existing 20 toilets and then construct 115 new ones.“We are aware of the guidelines by the EPCA and we try our best to adhere to them. Because work is taking place at speed, material may have been uncovered at places and we will address the complaints. But, our larger goal is to make the city clean, help all citizens access decent toilets. We will even appoint people to keep these toilets clean. The city is not just for mall-goers. Rickshaw-pullers, pedestrians etc should all have access to toilets and we will make sure it happens here,” Rajesh Singh, OSD, Noida Authority, said.“In Sector 18, mud is strewn all over the place. In 70x sectors, building work is in progress. At NTPC underpass and at a metro construction site near Sector 51-52, dust is visible all over. Though fines have been imposed in all these spots, even then dust pollution has not been curbed. We have spoken to the district magistrate today. He has said that these issues will be brought to the notice of appropriate authorities,” said Amit Gupta, a citizen activist who had filed several complaints on the issue in the past.“Various mechanisms have been put in place to control air pollution. Work is already being done to get all agencies on board to improve air quality. And all complaints are being addressed carefully,” district magistrate BN Singh, said.

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