What are the consequences of non-compliance with dust control measures?

Criminal consequences

Violating the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act or any of the rules framed triggers criminal action. Any person violating the dust control measures set out in the Environment (Protection) Rules, the EIA Notification or the Construction and Demolition Waste Rules is liable to:

  • Imprisonment upto five years, or fine upto one lakh rupees, or both,
  • In case the violation continues, an additional fine upto five thousand rupees can be imposed for every day during the period of contravention after the first conviction.
  • If such failure or contravention continues beyond a period of one year after the date of conviction, imprisonment upto seven years can be given.

This punishment also applies to any person violating any directions or orders issued under the Environment (Protection) Act. These directions could be issued by the Central Pollution Control Board, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee or any other person or authority to whom such powers have been delegated.

Under the Air Act, carrying out building or construction activities without obtaining a consent to establish or consent to operate from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee attracts:

  • Imprisonment for a term not less than one year and six months, but which may extend upto six years, and a fine.
  • In case the failure continues, an additional fine upto five thousand rupees can be imposed for every day during the period of contravention after the first conviction.
  • If such failure continues beyond a period of one year after the date of conviction, imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two years but which may extend to seven years and a fine.
Civil consequences

The legal authority of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to impose penalties is unclear. There are no provisions in the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 that confer this power. The legal position on the power of State Pollution Control Boards or Pollution Control Committees to demand bank guarantees is also unclear, with differing views expressed by the Delhi High Court and the National Green Tribunal (See Splendor Landbase Ltd. v Delhi Pollution Control Committee 173 (2010) DLT 52 and State Pollution Control Board v M/s. Swastik Ispat Private Limited, Appeal No. 68 of 2012, National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench).

Apart from this, the penalties themselves do not appear to accurately reflect environmental costs. The penalty for carrying out excavation without consent is 0.05% of the project cost. The consent fee for a project with a total capital investment of 5 lakh rupees is 250 rupees, which is also 0.05% of the project cost. Therefore, the penalty for failing to obtain a consent to establish (at least during the excavation phase) is the same as the consent fee i.e. the original legal obligation of the violator!


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