The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday rapped the Delhi government for not taking active steps to control the worsening air quality in the capital. It also asked the Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab governments to explain why they had not taken enough measures despite warnings.
“What steps are the governments taking to handle the situation? Why didn’t you spray water using helicopters? Or are the helicopters only for VIPs? said a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar. “The ambient air quality is so bad that children are not able to breathe properly.”
The Tribunal asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) what emergency directions it had issued to prevent pollution. “It needs to be examined with utmost priority why people living in Delhi have been subjected to such bad ambient air quality, which has affected their health” said the green panel.
The State governments have been asked to respond by Thursday.
The green panel was hearing a plea which stated that the air quality situation in the capital and the national capital region was an ‘environmental emergency,’ and the worst affected were children and senior citizens.
