NGT gives instructions to states bordering Delhi to improve AQI immediately

The National Green Tribunal has told the states adjoining Delhi that because of them the air quality index of Delhi has deteriorated. Therefore, they should strictly follow the instructions to take “immediate remedial action”.

The NGT has expressed dissatisfaction over no “significant improvement” in the pollution situation in states like Punjab-Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The tribunal has directed the authorities concerned to review their approach, take adequate measures to improve air quality and submit a further action report.

The tribunal had earlier issued notices to chief secretaries of several states, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar and Jharkhand, after taking cognizance of the online air quality bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board. ,

The tribunal had said that the air quality index (AQI) in some cities of these states showed ‘severe’, ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, between 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, between 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, between 201 and 300 ‘poor’, between 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, 401 And between 450 is considered ‘severe’ and above 450 is considered ‘severe’. ‘Serious Plus’.

A bench of National Green Tribunal chairperson Justice Prakash Srivastava looked into the AQI from November 3-9 and said, “The authorities concerned are somehow falling short of making desired efforts to improve the air quality.”

The bench, which also included judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, took note of the reports filed by various state authorities and said, “We find that these reports mostly contain long-term action plans to control air pollution. have been mentioned but the Tribunal’s direction to take immediate remedial action has not been fully complied with.”

The bench said, the state authorities and the concerned Chief Secretaries need to review their approach and take adequate measures so that the air quality in the cities improves.

The bench further said that this may require immediate steps to be taken to identify and control the major contributing sources of pollution causing deterioration in air quality.

The tribunal, in its recent order, stressed that the issue needs to be considered “with utmost seriousness” by the authorities concerned as the deterioration in air quality has serious adverse effects on the health of people, especially infants and the elderly.

The tribunal said, “Thus, we direct the Chief Secretaries of all states where the AQI of cities has fallen or remains in the severe, very poor and poor category, to take all possible immediate remedial measures and ensure that those The air quality in cities should improve.” Said.

Further action: Directing the filing of the report, the tribunal posted the matter for further proceedings till November 23.