NGT criticises Delhi authorities over their actions against noise pollution

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has criticised Delhi government’s awareness campaigns centered around noise pollution, highlighting their ineffectiveness and inadequacy in terms of quality and quantity. The tribunal’s panel expressed that the campaigns must be carefully planned before their implementation. Proper coordination between various players involved in the measures must be ensured. Identification of various thematic areas of the environmental problems that the city is facing must be properly identified in order for the authorities to devise adequate measures. Among these, the penalty for bursting crackers, which is a big contributor to the spike in air pollution during the months of fall, needs to be revised, said the bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel. “The Central Pollution Control Board has suggested that compensation should be 2-3 times for second and third violations accompanied by withdrawal of permission for installation/operation for their equipment,” the bench said.

NGT also questioned the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) over the excessive noise pollution levels of the city and questioned the measures taken by them to cater to the issue. “We (NGT) are sorry to record that DPCC has been wholly amiss in performance of its duties. There is no satisfactory data about the action for violations though violations are rampant and widespread which is failure on the part,” the bench recorded.