The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the high pollution levels in Delhi and has summoned the Delhi Chief Secretary to the Tribunal, among other officials.
A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, in a chamber meeting, asked officials of the Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Delhi Pollution Control Committee to be present before the Bench on Tuesday.
‘Continuous negligence’
Taking note of several media reports on the high levels of pollution in the Capital, published on Monday, the Bench said, “The air pollution is a source of diseases and threat to life. As per studies, statistics of death and health hazards have been given. Today’s situation is not creation of one day. It is continuous negligence and apathy of statutory authorities in enforcing the law.”
“There is need to ascertain why there is failure and what should be the preventive strategies and remedial measures to ensure that present situation does not recur in future,” the Bench added.
‘Planning needed’
While observing that the “problem is well acknowledged,” it said, “While remedial action may continue to be taken in the best possible manner, there is urgent need to have proper planning to address the gaps in existing enforcement strategies and undesirable situation. After interaction with the Chairman and Member Secretary of CPCB, we find it necessary to further examine the matter after looking into the status of implementation of GRAP and other measures, including preventive strategies currently adopted.”
