The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday 22 January took suo motu cognisance of the tragic drowning of a software engineer in Noida, linking the incident to long-standing waterlogging and administrative inaction. The Principal Bench in New Delhi registered the case after taking note of a media report highlighting serious lapses in stormwater management.
Background of the Case
The matter arose from a news report titled “Noida CEO Removed, CM Orders SIT Probe into Techie’s Drowning” published by Times of India on January 20, 2026. The report detailed the death of Yuvraj Mehta, a software engineer who drowned after falling into a waterlogged trench at a commercial site in Sector 150, Noida.
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According to the report placed before the Tribunal, the land was originally allotted for a private mall but gradually turned into a pond due to the accumulation of rainwater and wastewater from nearby housing societies over nearly a decade. On the day of the incident, poor visibility caused by fog reportedly led the victim to take a sharp turn, resulting in his fall into the trench.
Court’s Observations
A Bench led by Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson) and Dr. A. Senthil Vel (Expert Member) noted that documents showed repeated delays by authorities despite a stormwater management plan being proposed as early as 2015. The plan included the construction of a regulator to divert excess water into the Hindon river, but it remained largely on paper.
“The documents assessed prima facie indicate lapses in taking timely remedial measures, leading to severe waterlogging,” the Tribunal observed. It further noted that such inaction not only caused flooding in nearby residential basements but also created hazardous conditions that ultimately resulted in loss of life.
The Bench also held that the incident raised “substantial issues relating to compliance with environmental norms,” pointing towards a possible violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
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Decision and Directions
Invoking its power to act suo motu, as recognised by the Supreme Court, the NGT impleaded multiple authorities as respondents, including the Noida Authority, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh, Principal Secretary (Environment), and the District Magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar.
The Tribunal issued notices to all respondents, directing them to file their replies by affidavit at least one week before the next hearing. The matter has been listed for further consideration on April 10, 2026.
