The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report detailing the tragic death of a young software engineer in Noida.
The incident involved 27-year-old Yuvraj Mehta, whose car plunged into a water-filled ditch in Sector-150, leading to his death.
A Bench led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr A Senthil Vel sought formal responses from multiple authorities.
These include the Noida Authority, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the Irrigation Department, the Principal Secretary for Environment, and the District Magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar.
The tribunal issued notices to all concerned agencies. It directed them to submit affidavits at least one week before the next hearing. The matter will come up for further consideration on April 10.
According to the report, the accident occurred when the victim took a sharp right-angle turn in dense fog.
His vehicle reportedly fell into an open trench filled with stagnant water. The land where the incident occurred was originally allocated for a private mall project.
Over time, it transformed into a pond due to unchecked rainwater accumulation and wastewater discharge from nearby housing societies.
The report revealed serious administrative lapses. The Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department prepared a stormwater management plan in 2015.
Authorities failed to implement it. Official records indicate that a proposal to construct a head regulator to divert excess water into the Hindon River was never implemented. This failure caused persistent waterlogging in the area.
The absence of a regulated drainage outlet led to flooding in nearby residential basements. It also caused prolonged stagnation of water at the accident site.
The NGT observed that the facts raised substantial questions regarding compliance with environmental regulations.
The tribunal noted a prima facie violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Meanwhile, the investigation has intensified. A Special Investigation Team began its inquiry on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the SIT following allegations of negligence. The team must submit its report within five days.
The state government removed Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M from office.
Authorities also terminated a junior engineer’s services. Police arrested a builder-developer on charges of criminal negligence linked to the incident.
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