NEW DELHI, Dec 31: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) addressed a variety of environmental challenges affecting our daily lives, leaving many residents of the national capital struggling to breathe due to the escalating pollution and declining air quality in 2024.
Other matters discussed included pollution in water bodies and solid waste management.
Multiple reports aimed at controlling rising pollution levels were submitted by various agencies; however, the harsh reality faced by Delhi residents intensified with the arrival of winter.
Hazardous levels of PM2.5—the main pollutant that poses serious health risks—were measured in December, with 32 out of 35 monitoring stations indicating severe-plus air quality levels, including readings as high as 470 on the air quality index (AQI).
The NGT remained vigilant, instructing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to devise a detailed action plan with measurable outcomes.
It mandated unified efforts to combat air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) and insisted on transparency in implementing different phases of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The tribunal also took notice, on its own accord, of a media report investigating reasons for “persistent air pollution” in Delhi, citing emissions from thermal plants and meteorological conditions.
However, Delhi isn’t the only region facing recurrent pollution problems; various other states are also in distress.
Acknowledging this, the NGT instructed 53 cities experiencing poor air quality to submit a report detailing contributions from individual pollution sources and strategies for mitigation.
Additionally, the tribunal emphasized the preservation of sacred rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna, especially with the upcoming Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.
It mandated actions to prevent pollution from solid waste and sewage discharges in these rivers, ensuring that water quality met drinking and bathing standards.
Further, the NGT directed authorities to increase the number of monitoring stations and the frequency of checks on river health.
In November, the tribunal reviewed a pollution report from the Uttarakhand government regarding the Ganga River, noting that even its source at Gangotri is affected by sewage treatment plant (STP) discharges.
The tribunal is overseeing pollution levels in the river and its tributaries across states, requesting a district-wise action plan and instructing nodal authorities to prevent sewage discharge into these water bodies.
In order to protect water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and ponds, the NGT issued several directives, including ensuring sufficient sewage treatment facilities, optimal operation of existing STPs up to their designed capacity, complete household sewer connectivity, STP compliance with standards, and the use of treated sewage for non-potable and secondary purposes.
Addressing solid and liquid waste management, NGT reviewed compliance reports from states and union territories and criticized authorities for the need for improved action plans, especially noting gaps in waste generation and processing, legacy waste remediation, and landfill recovery.
In one instance, Bihar was reprimanded for inadequate progress in managing solid and liquid waste.
Regarding the preservation of floodplains for rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna, and Hindon, the tribunal instructed authorities to identify, designate, and notify these zones according to the Ganga Rejuvenation (Protection and Management) Rules.
Additionally, the tribunal stressed the necessity for coastal zone management plans.
In response to the depletion of green cover, the NGT highlighted the need for robust monitoring and enforcement to prevent forest encroachment and illegal logging.
To combat the irresponsible extraction of natural resources, the tribunal urged authorities to halt illegal sand mining in river beds and stop industrial activities like stone mining and crushing in ecologically sensitive regions.
The NGT reviewed cases regarding declining groundwater levels, directing the sealing of illegal borewells and urging measures to replenish and safeguard this vital resource.
In a significant measure, it issued notices to 24 states and four union territories regarding groundwater contamination with arsenic and fluoride, calling for “urgent preventive and protective actions.”
The tribunal acted on reports of industrial and commercial accidents, mandating compensation for victims or their families, while also imposing fines on operational units violating environmental regulations.
It provided guidance on hazardous waste management, emphasizing proper maintenance of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities and cautioning against misclassifying waste as “by-products.”
To address biomedical waste challenges, the tribunal recommended resolving inefficiencies and requested state pollution control boards to identify gaps in waste management and enforce the use of barcodes, prohibiting mixing with municipal solid waste.
Furthermore, it instructed firms generating electronic waste to comply with extended producer responsibility regulations.
The NGT classified plastic waste as a critical issue, noting that despite efforts to ban single-use plastics and enforce producer responsibility, targets for plastic waste management remain unmet.
Importantly, the green body mandated prompt action to restore Jawaharlal Nehru stadium following a chaotic scene where empty beer bottles, food packaging, and waste littered the running track after the Diljit Dosanjh concert on October 28. (PTI)
