List measures taken to curb pollution by tomorrow: NGT to five states

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday ordered the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi to list all precautionary measures taken by them to control pollution by Wednesday.

In the meeting held today, the tribunal advised all five states not to use stone crushers and burn garbage for the next seven days and find a solution as soon as possible.

"What preventive, precautionary and curative measures you are taking and tell them in tomorrow hearing," NGT ordered the five states.

The NGT said, "Even a mask has a limit. Beyond a degree of pollution, masks may be detrimental. This is a matter of life and death. You have forced the children to confine themselves to their houses."

The NGT asked all the five states to do a coordination meeting with Delhi chief secretary if necessary and expressed displeasure with the Rajasthan government's efforts to curb the pollution.

Coming down heavily on the Delhi Government, NGT asked, "What major step have you taken to curb the pollution.

Diwali and crop burning are known factors, did you hold any meeting in August and September to prepare the state to tackle pollution? Do you have any data that shows reduction of smog? Why are you sprinkling water through cranes and not helicopters?"

The NGT further lashed at the Haryana Government and asked, "You have done nothing to control the situation of smog and pollution and officers, who are present here aren't revealing ground reality. When we travel from Delhi to Chandigarh, we always see construction and construction and all these constructions are violating of NGT guidelines."

Criticising the Punjab Government, the NGT said, "What major steps has Punjab Government taken to reduce crop-burning? How many machines have you provided to the farmers for agriculture waste disposals? If you have provided even Rs 1000 to the farmers, then they would not have burnt the agriculture wastage like this."

On Monday, NGT criticised the Centre and Aam Aadmi Party Government of Delhi for waking up late to the deadly air pollution issue.

While Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra appealed to the citizens to come up with suggestions to tackle Delhi's pollution, Health Minister Satyendra Jain hinted at a return of the odd-even policy to curb vehicular pollution.

The NGT on Monday also criticised the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan on the rising levels of pollution. The tribunal asked all governments, "What have you done till now to curb pollution?", "Why haven't you started sprinkling water on roads to reduce the dust?What happened to the proposal of sprinkling water using helicopters?"

Meanwhile, environmentalist Sunita Narain of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also petitioned Supreme Court on Delhi pollution.

Schools have been shut in the capital and all construction work has also been put on hold in view of the dangerous pollution levels.