Kaushambi RWA’s plea: Take officials to task, says NGT

Ghaziabad: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) that was hearing an execution plea filed by Kaushambi Apartments Resident Welfare Association on pollution has directed Meerut divisional commissioner to hold a meeting of stakeholders to discuss unattended work. In a recent order, a four-judge bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has also said it hopes the divisional commissioner “will take the erring officers to task for their failure in responding to this Tribunal in the last more than one year and even today”.
The divisional commissioner, Ghaziabad district magistrate, municipal commissioner, SSP and the regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) have been asked to be present for a video conference on the next date of hearing (October 25).
“In 2016, NGT had imposed a collective fine of Rs 5 lakh on all stakeholders for their failure to take steps to control air, water and noise pollution in the area,” said Vinay Kumar Mittal, president, Kaushambi Apartments Resident Welfare Association (Karwa). He added that this was after NGT’s hearing of a case filed by them in 2015. “The NGT, in subsequent orders till 2021, issued several directions to control pollution,” Mittal said.
“It has directed local agencies to deal with encroachments, introduce CNG buses, take steps for solid waste disposal and look into drainage issues. It had also imposed a ban on pressure horns. But barring a few measures, the order was not implemented,” Mittal added.
Asked about the order, regional officer of UPPCB, Utsav Sharma, said they are complying with the order in phases. “Recently, we prepared a traffic managem-ent plan. It will take some time to work out modalities regarding introduction of CNG buses. The rest of it is under process.”
The residents’ body had also moved the Supreme Court on the issue of pollution.
In July 2020, the district pollution control board, on the direction of NGT, prepared an environment management plan for the township.
According to the findings, the average PM10 level in the area is between 212 and 312 on any given day. The safe level is below 100 µg/m3. The PM2.5 levels were found to be between 44 and 214 (safe level is below 60 µg/m3).