The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the Centre demanding a response regarding the persistent air pollution crisis in Delhi. This action follows the tribunal’s own motion based on a media report highlighting a study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), which attributes significant air pollution levels to emissions from regional thermal power plants and adverse weather conditions.
During a session on November 27, NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, along with Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, discussed the findings of the CREA study. According to the report, coal-fired power plants in the National Capital Region are responsible for emitting 16 times the air pollution caused by stubble burning, equating to 281 kilotons of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) annually. In contrast, crop burning contributes 17.8 kilotons of SO₂ from approximately 8.9 million tons of stubble.
The tribunal also noted that the current weather conditions in Delhi, characterized by calm winds and dropping temperatures, are exacerbating the air quality crisis. These conditions, often referred to as cold air traps, prevent the dispersal of pollutants, allowing dust, smoke, and other harmful particles to accumulate in the air.
Highlighting potential violations of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Environment Protection Act, the NGT has expanded the scope of the inquiry to include key environmental and governmental authorities. Respondents now include the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, member secretaries of the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, and the state pollution control boards of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. Additionally, the Director of the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region (CAQM) has been asked to respond.
