On Friday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) inspected the site in Sector 150, Greater Noida, where 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta tragically died after his car fell into a waterlogged pit during the night of January 16-17. The inspection follows the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, summoning responses from multiple state and local authorities over alleged environmental violations and administrative negligence.

The NGT’s Principal Bench, led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member A. Senthil Vel, registered an Original Application based on media reports detailing Mehta’s death and the ensuing investigations. The Tribunal observed that the site, initially allotted for a private mall project, had over time become a stagnant pond due to unchecked accumulation of rainwater and wastewater from nearby housing societies.

Greater Noida Police have arrested two individuals, Ravi Bansal and Sachin Karanwal, linked to Lotus Green Construction Private Limited and the builder, in connection with the incident. Earlier, an FIR had also been filed against five others—Abhay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Manish Kumar, Achal Bohra, and Nirmal Kumar—under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and relevant IPC sections.

The FIR described the pit as deep, unbarricaded, and filled with highly polluted water and garbage, producing a strong foul odor that affected nearby residents. Located near a public road, it posed a serious threat to human life, with no warning signs or safety measures. The land was purchased by Lotus Green Construction in 2014 and sold to Viztown in 2020, though the former still retains a significant stake. Authorities confirmed that further legal proceedings are ongoing, with the NGT closely monitoring compliance with environmental laws and public safety regulations.