Toddler, mother move NGT alleging air, noise pollution by pvt

A toddler, along with her mother and grandmother, has approached the National Green Tribunal alleging noise and air pollution due to the activities of a reputed private school here operating in a residential area, causing health problem to the residents.
The residents of Ashok Vihar Phase-IV sought shifting of DAV Public School from the residential colony and direction to the Ministry of Environment and Forest and various authorities, including DDA and Delhi Police, to restrain the institution from using loud speakers, bell whistles, amplifiers and drums.
After giving a brief hearing to the petitioners, a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar issued notice to the ministry, Delhi Police, the Central Pollution Control Board, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, DDA and the school on the plea.

The bench sought response of all the respondents on the plea and listed the matter for further hearing on March 8.
Advocate Isha Malhotra Chavan, representing the toddler, a 21-month-old girl, along with her mother Dr Parul Sharma, claimed that due to the noise and air pollution caused by the school, she was suffering from irritability and sleep disorder. She was also lacking playing area.
Advocate Meena Chaudhary Sharma, Dr Sharma's mother, argued that the residents have made several complaints to the police and the pollution board against the school's activities but in vain.

"Beating of drums, blaring of loud speakers, blowing of whistles in addition to bells are incessantly rung in full volume exceeding the permissible decibel limit of silence zone," she said, adding that the school has created a nuisance and residents are suffering from mental tension and other health problems.

Advocate Meena Sharma, who appeared before the tribunal in a wheelchair, said she was a patient suffering from diabetes and disturbed sleep pattern and cannot rest in her house due to the noise coming from the school the whole day.
(Reopens LGD21)
The petitioners said the school is operating in the area for last 20 years but the problem has arisen in the past 8-10 years after it started the use of loud speakers for every little announcement to be made, which includes birthday wishes to a student and prayer meeting.
The petition alleged that the school rents its premises to others for social and public functions, beauty pageants and other gatherings which are not allowed in the school situated in a thickly populated residential area.

"The vehicles which are indiscriminately parked outside the school premises also emit air and noise pollution because of continuous honking and idling of engines while waiting for the school to be over," it said, seeking a direction to the school to stop polluting the environment.
It also sought a direction to the school to make arrangements for having sports activities and other functions in some other complexes or public halls.