New Delhi: Once again, a frustrated National Green Tribunal lashed out at the Delhi government and the municipal corporations on the “mess” they’d made of Delhi’s air. On Thursday, NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar took emergency measures further and shut down all construction activity in Delhi till the court’s next hearing on Tuesday.
Earlier, Delhi government had banned only civil construction on Wednesday evening.
Kumar told city’s various authorities, “now we will decide what you have to do”. He added that labourers attached to construction projects must still be paid their wages.
The NGT has cried itself hoarse over the years over pollution, asking governments and authorities to take timely action. Kumar again asked the government, “Why didn’t you issue any directions for shutting down the polluting industry and construction. You did it yesterday as we told you to do so.”
He also lambasted the corporations for neglecting garbage and leaf burning, which is significantly contributes to smog in winter. He also axed the MCD’s plan to plant trees now, saying “if you’re planting trees now you’re adding to the problem, as it will only lead to more dirt.”
The court also directed all the industrial activities in the city and the NCR region, which releases emissions, to stop till the next date of hearing.
All the authorities and state governments have to submit their action plan in furtherance of the directions issued by the NGT in two weeks.
Kumar’s tirade touched on the shoddy implementation of pollution control norms. No builder covers their construction site, he pointed out. “Somebody says I have written a letter. Somebody says I am doing this I am doing that. Why isn’t there any impact on the ground?”
“It is a matter of shame all you public authorities what you are giving to your children,” said Kumar.
He directed all corporation, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), to constitute teams of its officers to visit areas under their respective jurisdiction. These teams must ensure there is no burning of material and construction material, particularly cement and sand, is lying in the open, in Delhi. Such materials will be seized and builders fined. This order applies to Noida, Ghaziabad, Sonepat, Gurgaon, Palwal, Bahadurgarh, Manesar, too.
Delhi is already the most monitored city in the country. The court now directed pollution boards of the neighbouring states, and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to also keep records of the pollution levels. The board shall provide the analysis report to the tribunals of all the 12 parameters on the next date of hearing.
The NGT repeated its previous query on why helicopters aren’t being used for water sprinkling. This, however, has raised the eyebrows of environmentalists who see helicopters as an unfeasible solution, as they’re designed for dumping loads of water, to douse a fire for example, then sprinkling gently and uniformly over a large area. For now, the tribunal ordered sprinkling of water wherever PM10 is found to be more than 600. The sprinkling of water can be done through the helicopter or the fire brigade department in every area in Delhi. It also called for regular cleaning of roads after the sprinkling of water.
Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana have to ensure there is no crop burning and some benefits are given to farmers as incentives against the practice.
The Constitution of India, said Kumar, has mandated the state and imposed a fundamental duty on the citizens to protect the environment. This is now being breached.
“We have no hesitation in observing that all the concerned department and govt have failed to control the situation,” said the court. The doctrine of preventive principal has been violated, ignored at every relevant stage, it added.
Indicating the repetitive nature of the crisis, the tribunal referred back to its own set of solution, in a detailed judgment on November 10, last year. The judgement, it said, clearly postulated the steps that were required to be taken on long-term and short-term basis so that the adverse air quality of previous year is not repeated. It has gone unexecuted.
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