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National Green Tribunal Directs NCR Local Bodies To Ensure Sprinkling Water Before Sweeping Roads

The National Green Tribunal issued the order after acknowledging that dust pollution is a significant component of air pollution and that sweeping of roads is one of the sources of dust pollution

National Green Tribunal Directs NCR Local Bodies To Ensure Sprinkling Water Before Sweeping Roads
Highlights
  • NGT has directed against the usage of freshwater for sprinkling on roads
  • Use treated water from sewage treatment plants for sprinkling: NGT
  • NGT also asked to pay attention on burning of biomass and waste

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed all the Municipal Corporations and Local Bodies in the national capital region and other cities with air quality ‘poor’ and worse, to take steps to ensure sprinkling of water before sweeping of roads. A bench of the NGT, headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, also directed to take further steps to plant grass, raise small herbs and shrubs on the sides of the pavements and road shoulders and on open dusty areas. It also said the pavements may also be appropriately covered so as to prevent the generation of dust.

Also Read: National Green Tribunal Extends Ban On Sale, Use Of Firecrackers Until COVID-19 Situation Improves

Accordingly, we direct all the Municipal Corporations/local bodies in NCR where air quality levels are normally non-compliant and in all other cities with the air quality ‘poor’ and above to take necessary steps to ensure sprinkling of water before sweeping of roads, using treated water from STPs, and take further steps of the planting of grass/raising small herbs and shrubs on the sides of the pavements/road shoulders and on open dusty areas, including the areas on the sides of the pavements/right of way, the bench said in its order dated December 3.

Also Read: Stubble Burning Rose By More Than 20 Per Cent This Year: Air Quality Commission Official

The tribunal issued the order after acknowledging that dust pollution is a significant component of air pollution and that sweeping of roads is one of the sources of dust pollution sprinkling of water before sweeping of roads including the pavements needs to be explored, as directed by the Supreme Court of India.

The water to be used for the purpose of sprinkling should be STP (sewage treatment plant) water and not the freshwater. Further mitigation which may be considered is the planting of grass/raising small herbs and shrubs on the sides of the pavements and on open dusty areas including the areas on the sides of the pavements. The pavements may also be appropriately covered so as to prevent the generation of dust, the NGT noted in its order.

Also Read: New Delhi’s Poisonous Air A Perennial Crisis Of Its Own Making: Experts

The tribunal said that attention also needs to be given to stop the burning of biomass/waste and regulate construction and demolition activities following the laid guidelines and protocols under the Graded Response Action Plan/National Clean Air Programme.

All the Municipal Corporations and Local Bodies may send their reports to the Principal Secretary, Environment of the State, heading the Air Quality Monitoring Committees (AQMCs), once in a quarter, the bench said and added that the Principal Secretary, Environment heading the AQMCs may compile the data and furnish the same to the Central Pollution Control Board.

The bench was hearing an application filed by RS Virk seeking remedial action to mitigate the impact of dust pollution arising out of dry sweeping of roads in metro cities.

The applicant said that dust pollution contributes to about 43 per cent of the air pollution and suggested that dust suppressants should be used along with water as a remedial measure.

Also Read: Steep Rise In Stubble Burning Incidents In Punjab This Year

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (WaterSanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollutionwaste managementplastic banmanual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene

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