NGT prescribes 'environment emergency', proposes ban on diesel vehicle ban in 4 states

Slamming the Centre and Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments over non compliance and inaction to tackle air pollution, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday proposed to expand the scope of diesel vehicle ban, which is enforced in Delhi, to the four states.

The tribunal also directed the central and state governments to declare emergency if the particulate matter (p.m.) 2.5 and 10 reaches in excess to 500 and 300 micrograms respectively.

During the emergency, the tribunal said the states must temporarily shutdown thermal power plants and close all construction activities in the affected areas.

The tribunal also reached to the corporates and asked them to collect and dispose agricultural residues under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

With regards to stubble burning which has been, reasoned by many, as the major cause of air pollution, the green court asked the central and state governments to constitute committees to tackle crop burning and find out the source of pollution.

The concerned committees will then have to report to the NGT and update it about the steps being implemented.

The Delhi Government on Sunday unveiled a slew of steps, including closure of all schools for three days, to battle unprecedented smog levels that have drastically cut visibility and turned the national capital into a virtual gas chamber.