The schoolboy told the NGT that the poultry farm has been releasing foul smell (Representational)
The country's green court has responded to a plea by a six-year-old boy who said a poultry farm near his school in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli has been attracting flies and giving out foul smell.
A National Green Tribunal or NGT bench headed by acting Chairperson Justice UD Salvi issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government, state pollution control board, animal husbandry department, Shamli district magistrate and others on the boy's plea, asking what action has been taken against poultry farms if they were found breaking the law.
The schoolboy Arjun Malik, through his legal representative, asked the NGT to ensure that its October 2017 order on closing down poultry farms that are operating without the pollution control board's permission, is enforced properly.
Mr Malik alleged the poultry farm near his school was running illegally. The NGT has now sought a report from the authorities within two weeks on whether poultry farms operating without permission have been closed down.
"It is submitted that Respondent No 07 (poultry farm) is operating without installation of treatment plant and causing offensive strong smell into health hazard of local inhabitants," the boy's plea filed through advocate Gaurav Bansal said.
The plea alleged the state pollution control board has not done enough to check illegal poultry farms and this has "violated" the "right to pure air of the applicant as well as other school-going children..."
The boy's counsel alleged residents had complained about the poultry farm, but did not get any response from the district administration, and the school has also not raised the matter.
The NGT will hear the matter on February 2.