New Delhi: Neither the Centre, nor the states are owning up responsibility for growing pollution or suggesting measures to curb it, the National Green Tribunal on Monday said, asking whether they have no responsibility towards children suffering from the menace.
"Nobody is owning up anything. Every body is trying to come out clean. Not a single application or affidavit has been received from anybody trying to own up the things or suggesting any measures to curb pollution. Is this way the capital of the country will become pollution-free," a bench headed NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The tribunal said the Union Road Transport Ministry in its affidavit has submitted that only 18.5 per cent pollution was due to the vehicular emission, but they cannot say what contributes to the remaining 80 per cent.
"If vehicles are not causing air pollution, then what is the cause. Can anyone tell us the reason of rest 80 per cent air pollution? Think of children who are living on antibiotics due to the air pollution. Do we have no responsibility towards them," the bench said, while directing the Ministry to state the source of pollution in the city.
It observed that several people were stating with facts and figures that due to high air pollution, many were being forced to move out of Delhi.
The bench then asked all civic bodies of Delhi, the Union Ministries of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Road Transport and other respondents to file comprehensive replies regarding steps taken to curb air pollution and posted the matter for tomorrow.
On May 25, the tribunal had asked the Centre to learn from China in curbing vehicular pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, as it extended till today the stay on its order banning plying of over 10-year-old diesel motor vehicles.
The Centre had submitted a IIT-Delhi report before the tribunal in which it had said that up to 67 per cent of total Particulate Matter at 2.5 emissions from road transport was contributed by heavy and light duty commercial vehicles alone.
"Nobody is owning up anything. Every body is trying to come out clean. Not a single application or affidavit has been received from anybody trying to own up the things or suggesting any measures to curb pollution. Is this way the capital of the country will become pollution-free," a bench headed NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The tribunal said the Union Road Transport Ministry in its affidavit has submitted that only 18.5 per cent pollution was due to the vehicular emission, but they cannot say what contributes to the remaining 80 per cent.
It observed that several people were stating with facts and figures that due to high air pollution, many were being forced to move out of Delhi.
Advertisement
On May 25, the tribunal had asked the Centre to learn from China in curbing vehicular pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, as it extended till today the stay on its order banning plying of over 10-year-old diesel motor vehicles.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Skincare Tips: What Is Skin Barrier? How Can You Protect It? End Of Tandoori Kebabs In Lucknow? New Proposal Sparks Row World Lung Cancer Day 2024: Understanding The Connection Between Air Pollution And Lung Cancer Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan 3 Days After Big Order On Deposits With SBI And PNB, Karnataka Hits Pause "Far From Over" But Joe Biden Has High Hopes For Gaza Ceasefire Indian Student In UK Develops Revolutionary Carbon-Extracting Biomaterial Video: Woman Tries To Jump Off Mumbai's Atal Setu, Saved By Driver, Cops Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.