NGT junks scientist's plea for closure of Delhi Secretariat

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal today refused to entertain a plea by a scientist seeking a direction to close down the Delhi Secretariat building on the ground that it violates mandatory pollution norms.

"Why should the Secretariat building take consent to operate and establish? It is not an industry. Why should it take permission under air and water Act? Does the building fall under notified air zone?" a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said and asked petitioner Mahendra Pandey to first approach the authorities concerned with an appropriate representation.

The green panel then dismissed the plea as "withdrawn" and directed advocate Gaurav Bansal, appearing for petitioner, to approach Delhi government for his grievance.

Mahendra Pandey, who was previously associated with Central Pollution Control Board as a scientist, had alleged that the Secretariat building has not applied for Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 as well as under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.

Claiming that the Secretariat building is one of the major sources of polluting Yamuna, the former scientist had said that it generates 1 lakh litre of sewage per day along with waste water which is untreated.

Pandey has said that the Delhi Secretariat building cannot operate unless it has "No Objection Certificate" under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.