The Supreme Court on Monday directed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to consider any fresh plea filed regarding compliance with its 2024 directions to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) for monitoring noise levels at runways of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan passed the order while hearing an appeal against the NGT’s refusal to issue further directions on noise pollution caused by operations on Runway No. 29/11, which handles over 50 per cent of arrivals and departures at IGI Airport.
Disposing of the appeal, the bench observed:
“We reserve liberty to the petitioner to file a fresh application before the National Green Tribunal along with all supporting material so as to seek appropriate reliefs, including the reliefs which were sought earlier and granted by the NGT but which are not being implemented as yet by way of a mandamus.”
The bench further clarified that if such an application is filed, the NGT shall consider it expeditiously on its own merits and in accordance with law.
The appeal was filed by the Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions and Promotion of National Awareness against the NGT’s July 2024 order, which held that DIAL had complied with its March 21, 2024 directions.
In that earlier order, the Tribunal had directed DIAL to install noise monitoring systems at multiple points around the airport and make the data publicly accessible through its website. DIAL subsequently installed five noise monitoring terminals.
