NGT notice to MoEF, Delhi on traffic congestion in East Delhi

Massive encroachments and traffic congestion on the streets of East Delhi has caught the attention of the National Green Tribunal, which today sought the responses from the Environment Ministry and Delhi government on the issue.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Delhi government, East Delhi Municipal Corporation Delhi Pollution Control Committee and others while seeking their responses within two weeks and listed the matter for hearing on August 1.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by lawyer R R Ojha seeking urgent directions to remove encroachments in Madhu Vihar Market in Patparganj and submit a compliance report.

"It is submitted that Madhu Vihar Market in Patparganj, IP Extension was an unauthorised colony which is now being regularised. The traffic congestion in this market is at an alarming situation.
"The vehicles are being parked on both the sides of the metalled road in total violation of the orders of this tribunal. It is difficult even to move on foot as the footpaths are being encroached upon," the plea, filed through advocates Sanjay Upadhyay and Upma Bhattacharjee, said.
A metalled road is surfaced with small broken stones, providing strong and long-lasting route for traffic.

The plea has referred to NGT's 2015 order prohibiting parking of cars on tarred roads and directing the corporations to impose a fine of Rs 1,000 on violators as "compensation for degradation of environment".

It has also sought directions to the Central Pollution Control Board to take ambient air quality samples in the area, recommend steps to ease the flow of traffic in the locality and formulate a long term action plan for regulating the encroachments.
The tribunal had also directed the traffic police to remove encroachments in congested markets like Lajpat Nagar and Karol Bagh to ease the flow of vehicles in these areas.