India, Sept. 2 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) deferred the final hearing in a case involving alleged illegal groundwater extraction by 22 real estate projects in Greater Noida and Greater Noida West, fixing October 30 as the next date of hearing after allowing an adjournment sought by the applicant's counsel.

The matter, which the tribunal noted was already "at the final stage of hearing", was taken up by a bench comprising NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad. The adjournment was granted subject to the applicant's counsel paying Rs.5,000 to the NGT Bar Association within a week, according to the August 7 order.

The case was originally filed by Prasoon Pant, who alleged that real estate develop...