The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh governments to to install online air quality monitoring systems in Singrauli and Sonebhadra districts after a plea alleged pollution in these areas due to industrial and mining activities.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also ordered installation of reverse osmosis (RO) water purification plants so that the residents get potable water.
Land for installation of RO plant would be provided by the state government or the village panchayat and the entire cost for installation and maintenance would be borne by the industries, the bench said.
“We direct the Member Secretary of state pollution control boards, District Magistrates and the concerned officer of the industry or the thermal plant to ensure that every village in Singrauli region including coal mining area, is provided with an RO plant to ensure that residents of the village get potable water.
“All the industries shall be liable to bear the cost in discharge of their corporate social responsibility as well as on the fact that the existing pollution is attributable to them in one way or the other,” the bench said.
All the stone crushers which are operating in these regions without permission from the competent authority should be shut down without further notice, the NGT said.
“The stone crushers which are permitted to operate would also be responsible for installation of RO system at the place where there are number of stone crushers running and they would be guided by the same directions as above,” it said.
The tribunal formed two supervisory committees in both the states comprising secretary of the Environment department of the respective states, Member Secretaries of state pollution control boards, District Magistrates and others which would submit a monthly report.
The order came as the NGT disposed of a plea filed by advocate Advocate Ashwani Dubey opposing power projects in Singrauli and Sonebhadra districts on the ground that they were causing air and water pollution.
The lawyer had also opposed grant of sanction for any new project or expansion of the existing units till an action plan for improving environment is implemented.
The petition had also sought that existing power plants and other industries in the area be directed to install modern devices and equipment for controlling or minimising pollution they are allegedly causing.
Earlier, a core committee set up by the NGT to inspect areas in Singrauli and Sonebhadra districts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, where coal mines and thermal plants are operating, had submitted its interim report on the environment and the health of the people.
In a detailed report, the committee had submitted that heavy industrial activities in the region were a major source of pollution in the area and the ground water in the villages near Singrauli was contaminated with high fluoride and mercury concentration.
In 2015, the tribunal had constituted a core committee for monitoring of potential hazards of industrial development in Singrauli area and five sub committees for quantification of industrial pollution and impact assessment of water, air, soil and health in and around Singrauli.
It had also directed that expenditure in conducting the inspection, survey and studies would be met by the respective state governments for the region and they may be permitted to recover it from industrial units, thermal power and coal mines.
( Source – PTI )
The National Green Tribunal today slammed Punjab and Haryana governments for filing generalised action plans to combat air pollution and directed them to refer to its previous judgements on the issue.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also summoned the environment secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan asking them to give a “workable solution” for combating the problem of pollution.
The tribunal took exception that Punjab and Haryana were following the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority’s (EPCA’s) comprehensive action plan and not applying their own mind.
During the proceedings, both the states told the green panel that a slew of measures including stopping construction work, burning waste, shutting schools and monitoring of industries causing emissions will be taken whenever pollution is beyond prescribed limits continuously for 48 hours.
“What is the logic of waiting for 48 hours? There is nothing great about the action plan which you have prepared.
It is your basic function which you have to do all the time.
“Why have you referred to the EPCA’s plan? Why don’t you apply your own brains? In this country, it is a dream to have prescribed norms of air quality,” the bench observed.
When the bench asked the Delhi government its stand on the odd-even scheme, the counsel appearing for it said the government wants to implement it with exceptions and has also filed a review plea in this regard which will be heard tomorrow.
The tribunal had yesterday slammed the Delhi government and the neighbouring states over their action plan on ways to deal with severe air pollution in the city and directed them to file a detailed document to tackle with the problem.
It had observed that air pollution was never at the “normal level” in the national capital and directed the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan to file the action plan afresh.
The counsel for the Delhi government had filed the plan which recommended implementation of odd-even plan, entry of trucks in the city, ban on construction works and disallowing children from playing outside when air quality turns severe.
The counsel for petitioner Vardhaman Kaushik, who had filed plea against worsening air quality in Delhi, had said the action plans submitted by the states were merely “an eye- wash” and they have only “copy-pasted” the recommendations of the Supreme Court appointed EPCA.
Earlier, the NGT had directed the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and every state pollution control board to file ambient air quality analysis before the tribunal on monthly basis and also put up on their websites to enable the concerned authority to take effective steps to control air pollution.
( Source – PTI )