New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognizance of the tragic death of Yuvraj Mehta, a software engineer who drowned in a waterlogged trench in Noida Sector 150. A Bench led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel observed that "lapses by authorities" in implementing stormwater management plans directly contributed to the fatal incident.
The Tribunal registered the case based on news reports highlighting how a commercial site had turned into a dangerous pond due to accumulated rainwater and wastewater over nearly a decade.
The incident occurred when the deceased, driving in foggy conditions, fell into a waterlogged ditch that was originally allotted for a private mall project. The NGT noted that the site had become a hazard because a crucial stormwater management plan—proposed by the UP Irrigation Department back in 2015—remained on paper.
Despite the Noida Authority paying ₹13.05 lakh for a survey in 2016 to build a regulator that would divert excess water to the Hindon River, no work was executed on the ground.
"The news item indicates lapse by the Noida Authority in taking up remedial measures which resulted in the death of the person," the Tribunal observed.
The NGT termed the incident a prima facie violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The stagnation of wastewater not only posed a safety risk but also caused severe waterlogging in the basements of nearby housing societies, creating a public health crisis.
Notices Issued
The Tribunal has issued notices to key authorities, including:
- Noida Authority
- UP Pollution Control Board
- UP Irrigation Department
- District Magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar
They have been directed to file their replies explaining why the remedial measures were delayed for years. The matter is listed for the next hearing on April 10, 2026.
This case highlights the deadly intersection of civic apathy and environmental mismanagement. It underscores that waterlogging is not just an urban inconvenience but a potential killer. By stepping in, the NGT is holding the authorities accountable not just for the environmental degradation, but for the loss of human life resulting from their failure to manage urban drainage systems.