The Supreme Court on Wednesday frowned upon the Government’s inability to fix environmental norms on noise pollution for airport vicinity areas across the country at a time when India’s aviation sector is matching international standards both in terms of quality control and air traffic.
On coming to know that the noise decibel levels in the “Airport Vicinity Area” are yet to be fixed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the nodal Ministry for the Central Pollution Control Board, the Bench of Justices TS Thakur and Kurian Joseph said, “The Government must fix levels for noise pollution. If the CPCB has yet not done it, it’s a failure on part of the Government.”
At present, the airports are required to maintain a noise level of 105 decibels during the day time (6 am to 10 pm) and 95 decibels during night time (10 pm to 6 am) under a tentative circular issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on July 14, 2011.
The Court noted that in the event any resident had a complaint of noise pollution against the airport or aircrafts landing and taking off from the vicinity of his house or business, there was no redressal of grievance. Had the Environment Ministry set the standards on noise pollution, citizens would have recourse to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
This was the issue before the Court as a hospital running close to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi went to Delhi High Court claiming the high noise pollution levels were a disturbance for patients and its overall business. The High Court directed the matter to be sent to NGT against which Delhi International Airport limited (DIAl) approached the Supreme Court.
Claiming that DGCA held the field even on noise pollution standards, senior advocate KK Venugopal, who appeared for DIAl, was shown by the Court that even the DGCA circular stated, “This circular lays down the requirements to be followed until the regular noise levels are notified by the concerned government department, i.e. CPCB.” The hearing remained inconclusive as the Court postponed the hearing for September 30.
