GREATER NOIDA, Feb. 12 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has intensified its scrutiny of illegal groundwater extraction by builders in Greater Noida West, following a joint committee's report that 41 of 63 projects in Greater Noida were found using groundwater.

The tribunal's scrutiny comes amid growing concerns over the depletion of groundwater in the region owing to rampant extraction by the real estate sector.

While hearing the matter on February 4, the NGT directed the Greater Noida authority and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to verify claims made by developers regarding their use of treated sewage plant (STP) water instead of groundwater.

The tribunal also gave developers who have not yet provided details on...