NGT directs MoEF to finalise action plan on climate change within four weeks

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to finalise an action plan on climate change within four weeks.

A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore passed the order after the Delhi government informed it that the state action plan on climate change has has been prepared and submitted to the Environment Ministry.

The environment department of the Delhi government had earlier informed the tribunal that it has decided to make certain amendments to the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC).

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had earlier told the tribunal that it has repeatedly asked the Delhi government to expedite and submit the SAPCC but nothing has been done.

The ministry had informed the tribunal that since January 2010, it has asked the Delhi government thrice to submit SAPCC but nothing has been done and sought direction to the AAP government to submit the plan.

The tribunal was hearing a petition by scientist Mahendra Pandey seeking direction to draft, finalise and implement the SAPCC on the lines and the spirit of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

The plea had also sought directions to the Arvind Kejriwal government to place on record relevant material and documents relating to steps taken by it in order to implement Action Plan on Climate Change.

Pandey, in his plea filed through advocate Gaurav Bansal, had contended that the national capital was facing a number of environmental issues due to ill-effects of climate change.

NAPCC is a comprehensive action plan which outlines measures on climate change-related adaptation and mitigation while simultaneously advancing development.

The government of NCT of Delhi had earlier claimed that it had formulated a Climate Change Agenda for the national capital in 2009.

However, the Agenda expired in 2012 and since then Delhi has no Action Plan on Climate Change, the plea alleged.

The former scientist, in the plea, has claimed that Delhi has no SAPCC after which the NGT had sought response of the Centre and Delhi government on the issue.

He has contended that Delhi generated around 800 million tonnes of garbage daily and the same was dumped as it is on three main landfill sites of national capital which have completed their life.

The NGT had in 2015 directed all states and Union Territories to "expeditiously" prepare their action plans on climate change in accordance with the Centre's guidelines and get them approved by the Environment Ministry.