In a significant enforcement action, Haryana's environmental watchdog has ordered the immediate closure and sealing of an under-construction hostel and mess block at Al-Falah University's Faridabad campus. The action was taken after the university was found carrying out construction work despite stringent GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) restrictions and without obtaining mandated environmental approvals.
RTI Revelation Triggers Action
The details of this environmental non-compliance emerged from an RTI (Right to Information) reply, dated December 26, issued by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board's (HSPCB) Ballabgarh office to environmentalist Varun Gulati. The reply confirmed that the university, which has been in the news for other controversies, held a valid combined consent-to-operate (CTO) under the Water and Air Acts from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2028. It was classified as a red-category entity, specifically a "health-care establishment/projects having discharge of 100 KLD or more".
Failed Effluent Tests and Construction Violations
During an inspection on November 15, HSPCB officials collected samples from the inlet and outlet of both the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) on the campus. The board's laboratory report revealed alarming exceedances of prescribed pollution norms:
- At the ETP outlet, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) was recorded at 92 mg/l against a limit of 30 mg/l.
- Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was found at 472.3 mg/l, nearly double the permissible limit of 250 mg/l.
- Total Suspended Solids (TSS) measured 290 mg/l, far above the 100 mg/l limit.
The STP outlet also breached norms for BOD, TSS, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and faecal and total coliform. Based on these findings, the board issued a show-cause notice under sections 43, 44, and 45A of the Water Act, warning of prosecution and environmental compensation.
Simultaneously, the inspection team discovered active construction of the hostel and mess block despite GRAP-3 restrictions being in force due to severe air quality. The university, identified as a bulk waste generator, had not registered on the prescribed dust portal. Essential pollution control measures at the site were completely absent:
- Wind-breaking walls
- Green nets
- Sprinklers
- Anti-smog guns
Stringent Orders and Legal Consequences
Acting swiftly, the HSPCB on November 21 ordered the immediate closure and sealing of the construction site. It also directed the power utility to disconnect electricity to the area, citing directives from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
In a separate show-cause notice dated November 28, the board alleged a more fundamental lapse. It stated that the "whole university campus and associated buildings/structures" fell under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006. Therefore, the university should have obtained prior environmental clearance from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority before initiating any construction, which it failed to do.
A senior HSPCB official stated that the board acted strictly on the inspection's findings and its statutory mandate. "In cases where there are violations relating to GRAP restrictions, lack of prior environmental clearance, or non-compliance with effluent standards, the board issues directions and initiates proceedings under the Water, Air, and Environment Protection Acts. Due process is followed in every case," the official said.
The notices served to Al-Falah University propose severe consequences:
- Prosecution under the Water and Air Acts.
- Action under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- Imposition of environmental compensation as per HSPCB's 2021 policy.
Environmentalist Varun Gulati, who accessed the information, emphasized the gravity of the violations. "You cannot expect the system to look the other way when you have untreated or poorly treated effluents being discharged and large construction going on during GRAP-3. The rules apply to everyone, including universities," he remarked, highlighting the serious compliance gaps pointed out by the RTI documents.
