The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday sought the response of the Centre, NHAI and others on a petition seeking a direction for maintenance of mandatory 30 meters green cover on both sides of the national highways.
In another hearing on a related issue in Himachal Pradesh, NGT said “day is not far off when common man has to move about with oxygen cylinders in hand”. The remark of the green bench came in observation of the fact that not a single tree had been planted after clearing a forest area for road project.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the governments of Delhi and Haryana, based on a petition claiming that there was an erosion of the mandatory green cover on both sides of NH-1 and NH-8, necessary to maintain the ecological balance between pollution and development. The next hearing has been slated for September 7.
As per the plea, an effort should be made by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the respective governments of states, through which national highways pass, to preserve and maintain the surrounding areas. It further pointed out that the effective green cover is as per what NHAI had prescribed as mandatory. "This is a huge loss to the green cover of the country, which is facing acute shortage of water and is faced with mammoth air and noise pollution," it said.
The petition also referred to the notifications issued by the Haryana government which said that no construction can be allowed within 30 metres on either side of national highways and 50 metres on both sides in case of bypass road and it has to be maintained as green area.
"The basic concept is that trees should be planted along the highway to maintain ecological balance between pollution and development and the future need for expansion of roads and insulate the population living nearby from noise pollution, dust and emission pollution," noted the petition.
During the hearing on the issue of tree plantation in Himachal, NGT Chairperson questioned, "Half of the country is facing floods and half of the country is dry. Temperature of Shimla is going up. Show us one tree which you have planted. Will the road give you oxygenIJ It is tree which would give us oxygen."
Voicing concern over environment degradation, the green bench further observed, "nobody bothers" about this key issue and that the concerned authorities have failed to show even a single photograph where trees have been planted. The next hearing has been scheduled for August 11.