NGT Lifts Ban on Construction in Delhi-NCR, Allows Trucks

NEW DELHI:
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today lifted its ban on construction activities in Delhi-NCR and allowed trucks to enter the national capital, while asking authorities to strictly monitor their movement.
The green panel, however, refused to lift its ban on industrial activities causing pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region region. “All directions in relation to emissions from industry, burning of waste and crop residue shall continue to be enforced,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The tribunal also directed the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to submit their action plan on steps taken to curb pollution within two weeks.
It gave a green signal to the construction of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway but said no dust pollution should be caused. The bench, which was scheduled to start proceedings at 11.15 am after the full bench reference on retirement of Justice Dalip Singh, took up the matter at 10.30 am itself and passed the directions.
The bench said it will hear the Delhi government’s second plea on odd-even today itself. It had earlier refused to exempt women and two-wheelers from the Delhi government’s odd-even vehicle rationing scheme and directed it to ensure that diesel vehicles over 10 years old be taken off the roads without delay.
It had also asked the city government to identify the most polluted areas and sprinkle water, while allowing non- polluting industries and those manufacturing essential goods to operate in Delhi-NCR. The NGT had on November 11 stated that it would not exempt women and two-wheelers from the odd-even vehicle rationing plan to tackle pollution.
The NGT also directed the authorities and the civic bodies to sprinkle water where PM 10 is found to be in excess of 600 micrograms per cubic metre. It further directed the authorities to implement EPCA’s directions to improve ambient air quality while asking the civic bodies to constitute teams to ensure there is no burning of waste in Delhi-NCR.
The national capital is experiencing ‘severe’ air quality under a blanket of thick haze, as pollution levels have breached the permissible standards by multiple times. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recorded ‘severe’ air quality, meaning that the intensity of pollution was extreme.
The NGT had lashed out at the city government and the CPCB for not issuing orders to shut down construction and industrial activities in the capital despite the worsening air quality. It had also ordered Punjab, UP and Haryana governments to spell out the steps have they taken to prevent crop burning in the states adjacent to the national capital.
The tribunal was hearing a plea for immediate action against the worsening air quality in Delhi-NCR stating that it was an ‘environmental emergency’ that was affecting children and senior citizens the most. The plea has also sought direction to Delhi and the neighbouring states to file a status report with regard to the steps taken to educate people regarding waste burning and the pollution caused by it.