The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated suo motu proceedings based on two recent studies that highlight the worsening air quality in India.
A coram of Chairperson, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert member Dr. A Senthil Vel determined that both studies raised substantial issues relating to compliance with environmental norms.
Two orders have been passed on the issue, based on the two reports.
One study cited by the NGT is a Lancet Planetary Health study, reported in The Indian Express, which linked approximately 33,000 deaths annually in 10 major Indian cities to air pollution.
The cities include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Shimla, and Varanasi, with vehicular emissions, industrial activities, and construction dust identified as major contributors to poor air quality.
The study highlights the particular vulnerability of children and the elderly to PM2.5 pollutants (fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less), noting that air pollution could also impact fertility rates by causing hormonal disruptions.
The tribunal has issued notices to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the State Pollution Control Boards of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The case has been listed for hearing on October 23.
In the other case, the NGT took cognizance of a report published in the Times of India regarding a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.
The study revealed high levels of heavy metal pollutants in East Delhi, Ludhiana and Panchkula.
The presence of these metals in PM2.5 particles poses significant health risks, particularly to vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. Long-term exposure is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and other severe health complications.
The tribunal has accordingly issued notices to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), CPCB, MoEFCC, and the relevant District Magistrates. The case will be heard further on February 6, 2025.
[Read Orders]