NGT seeks air quality report from Delhi govt

The India Gate monument in New Delhi, India, enveloped by a blanket of smog

The National Green Tribunal on last day demanded a detail air quality report from the Delhi government, which recently implemented a remarkable odd-even plan to reduce pollutants from the atmosphere. While hearing a petition filed by environment activist K Manoharan, the court ordered that the government should develop a green panel to find the actual emission rate. It directed that the panel must include representatives from Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Board, and the Minister of Road Transport, Delhi. According to the petition, the three wheelers and quadricycles are emitting polluting agents into the atmosphere. The plea seeks a clean ban to these vehicles, which are running with the two-stroke engine. The two wheelers, CNG buses, three wheelers and quadricycles are excluded from the odd-even plan’s restrictions.    However, the National Green Tribunal bench, headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar, further demanded that the panel must take samples from all vehicles including those vehicles which are omitted from the odd-even plan.    Meanwhile, a notice had been issued to the Ministry of Road Transport, Delhi Government, Central Pollution Control Board, and Delhi Pollution Control Board on last day by the NGT, regarding the directives. The petition asserts that the quadricycles are emitting the polluting agents to the atmosphere. Meanwhile, a similar plea against the quadricycles demanding the ban on the vehicle was submitted in the Delhi High Court as it, according to plea, is not meeting the safety precautions.  However, the Delhi government had recently surprised the nation with its odd-even plan which restricted the vehicles with even numbers on odd days and vice versa. Fortunately, the plan was a huge success, and it effectively reduced the pollutants from atmosphere.

Vignesh

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