GREATER NOIDA, Feb. 8 -- The Greater Noida authority carried out demolition drives over three days this week, clearing nearly 37,000 square metres of unauthorised construction from floodplains and submergence zones, officials said on Saturday. Between February 4 and 6, illegal structures were removed from villages including Bhanauta, Rohillapur, Haibatpur and Chipiyana Khurd, said officials, adding that most of the construction had come up in low-lying and flood-prone areas where building activity is prohibited. Officials said, on February 4, authorities demolished unauthorised construction spread over nearly 10,000 square metres in Bhanauta village on notified land, whose estimated value is around Rs.20 crore. On February 5, demolition was carried out in Rohillapur, where around 18,000 square metres of land within the Hindon river floodplain had been encroached. On February 6, unauthorised construction over about 9,000 square metres was removed from submergence zones in Haibatpur and Chipiyana Khurd. In Haibatpur, around 7,000 square metres was cleared, including boundary walls, partially built houses and underground sewer lines laid without statutory approvals. An additional 2,000 square metres was reclaimed in Chipiyana Khurd, where illegal houses and boundary walls had been constructed, said officials. Environmentalists have warned that construction in these areas reduces the land's natural capacity to absorb and channel excess water, worsening waterlogging. "These constructions had come up in submergence areas where development is prohibited," said Sumit Yadav, additional chief executive officer, Greater Noida authority. Chief executive officer N G Ravi Kumar said, "Any construction in notified floodplains or low-lying areas without approvals is illegal and will be acted against."...