Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding remedial measures to be taken to bring the air quality of 102 cities under control, 15/03/2019
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of News item published in "The Times of India" Authored by Shri Vishwa Mohan Titled "NCAP with multiple timelines to clean air in 102 cities to be released around August 15" dated 15/03/2019. The issue for consideration is the remedial measures to be taken to bring the air quality of 102 cities identified as ‘non-attainment cities’, which do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), prescribed under Section 16(2)(h) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
The NGT directs Chief Secretaries of the States in respect of which action plans have not been filed i.e. Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Nagaland to forthwith furnish such action plans. If such action plans are not furnished till 30.04.2019, the States will be liable to pay environment compensation of Rs. 1 crore each. The States, where action plans are found to be deficient and deficiencies are not removed till 30.04.2019, will be liable to pay Rs. 25 lacs each. The timeline for execution of the action plans is six months from the date of finalization of action plan. The CPCB is directed to update the number of cities. If on parameters applied, there are other cities, not included in list of 102, such cities may be also included. Futher CPCB has been directed to prepare noise pollution map and identify hotspots and categorize the cities with specified hotspots and propose a remedial action plan.