NGT’s air pollution control suggestions!
Q. NGT has indicated which measures when air pollution reaches severe levels?- Published on 14 Nov 16a. Sprinkling water from choppers
b. Stopping construction activities
c. Shutting down polluting power plants and gensets
d. All of the above
ANSWER: All of the above
National Green Tribunal has indicated on 10th Nov that when air pollution reaches severe levels, Delhi and neighbouring states will have to take the following measures:
- Sprinkling water from choppers
- Stopping construction activities
- Shutting down polluting power plants and gen-sets
- Passing a host of directions to tackling air pollution in Delhi and neighbouring states, the NGT also asked for the setting up of central and 5 state-level monitoring committee to check implementation of orders and form action plans to check pollution
- When PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels cross 251 and 431 micrograms cubic metre, it is an environment emergent said the NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar
- The chairperson also said measures would have to be implemented to tackle the situation
- Farmers must be given happy seeders-machines that sow wheat without burning paddy residues
- This is to prevent crop fires.
- During the period of severe air pollution, all construction, transport of construction material and stone crushing activities must be stopped
- States will have to shut down power plants, hot-mixers, brick kilns, diesel generator sets whose emissions are above the prescribed limit, according to an interim order for NGT
- The NGT also asked 4 neighbouring states of Delhi- Haryana, Punjab, UP and Rajasthan- to consider banning diesel vehicles older than 10 years while directing Delhi to ensure strict implementation of orders on diesel vehicles.
- Tribunal also asked Delhi government why they did not install air filters in schools for children as instructed
