Delhi air pollution: NGT asks 5 states to set up panel of chief secys

NEW DELHI: National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday proposed constitution of a central committee of chief secretaries from five states — Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh — to prepare an emergency action plan to combat air pollution. NGT would pass an order on Thursday, which is likely to have larger “interstate” implications.

“We want each state to have a committee as well, comprising members from the state pollution control board, the environment department and the urban development department, who will submit monthly reports to the central committee, which will in turn report to us. Implementation and enforcement will be the parameters the committees will be judged on,” said a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar.

The tribunal came down heavily on the Delhi government and the neighbouring states for ineffective implementation of its orders against crop burning and air pollution. It asked these states to classify different types of pollutants and how they would deal with them. “Have any of you states sat together and discussed on how you will deal with different pollutants and the levels of pollution? What kind of pollution do you anticipate and is there any action plan to that,” asked the bench.


NGT said it was receiving messages from people that violations were being carried out in states in respect to waste burning and construction activities with the government not taking any action against the violators.

Questions were also raised on the sprinkling of water on Delhi roads. “Why is water being sprayed on the roads when the pollutants are in the air,” the bench asked the Delhi government’s counsel. It also asked the government why it could not stop people from bursting crackers.

“It is very shocking how the people of Delhi had been treated in the past seven days. You are not even ready to persuade people to stop bursting crackers on any festival, be it Chhath or Diwali. You must credit the people of Delhi who are so tolerant,” the bench added.

It said meetings of the central committee could take place in Delhi or Chandigarh with any decision made during the meetings applicable to all five states. A monthly report has to be submitted to NGT on the implementation of its orders.