With the national Capital engulfed in smog, the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday slammed the Delhi Government for not acting “seriously” to improve deteriorating air quality in the city and directed it to convene an urgent meeting on the issue.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatenter Kumar on Wednesday directed Secretary, Environment and forest Department, Health Secretary Environment and Forest Department, Health Secretary, Chairman and member secretary of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to hold a meeting at 4:00 PM.
The green panel also directed the Delhi Government to issue a notification within a week with regard to areas in the capital which are most polluted and enumerate steps needed to check air pollution in Delhi.
The Tribunal also directed the Central Pollution Control Board to seek information from various states and UTs on ambient air quality in their area and submit a report on the same to the Bench.
It also sought report from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Haryana Government on the status of Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
The NGT also directed to prohibit the felling of trees in South Delhi green belt as green belts continue to face the threat from rampant encroachment and increasing commercial activity, the National Green Tribunal has prohibited tree felling in the stretch located along Mehrauli-Badarpur Highway in South Delhi’s Saket area.
“There shall be no tree cutting on the stretch of green belt indicated in the application without following due process of law and no commercial activity...Be permitted along the said stretch of green belt,” a bench headed by Justice U D Salvi said.
The green panel also on Monday directed the Delhi Government to file its reply within two weeks on the plea of Saket residents who had moved the tribunal against increasing encroachment in the area. The green panel was hearing a plea of Tripta Sood and Vivek Pande who had sought directions to maintain status quo to protect the green belt, which is about 1.5 km long and 13 m wide, along the Mehrauli-Badarpur Highway in Saket from any change in land use and stoppage of tree felling and encroachment.
According to the petition, this green belt, which has more than 1500 trees, acts as a “green buffer” between the busy Mehrauli-Badarpur highway and the houses on Gurudwara Road siphoning out the air and noise pollution.