Air pollution, AOL & Ganga hogged limelight in NGT in 2016
The "environmental Emergency" caused by one of the worst stretches of air pollution in Delhi and the northern region led…
The state director general of police, the commissioner of
police, Kolkata, the principal secretary, state environment department and the
West Bengal Pollution Control Board were directed by the Kolkata Bench of
National Green Tribunal on Thursday to state by an affidavit within four weeks the
reasons which prevented its earlier directions to reduce sound pollution from
being implemented.
If such measures were implemented,the NGT is to be informed
of the status of such steps, the tribunal further directed. The city ranks
third in the country in respect of sound pollution whose sources are
non-traditional, environmental activist, Subhas Datta, who moved a plea in this
regard, submitted. Such sources include microphones being played beyond
permissible limits from religious processions which enjoy the blessings of
“political bosses” leading to police being silent spectators.
Moreover,DJs are
present in such procesions and “black generators” are also used, it
was submitted.
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These generators have been banned in 2010 owing to the high
degree of sound and smoke coming out of it . Air horns have been banned in the
state, but such horns continue to be used, it was submitted. Air and railway
traffic are the traditional sources of sound pollutiuon in other cities, but it
is to be noted that the city has one third the air traffic of Mumbai and Delhi
and half the railway traffic of these two metropolises, Dutta submitted.
The festival period has increased as the inauguration takes
place at least 10 days before the actual ceremony, it was submitted. The
revelry continues for a longer leading to a higher degree of sound pollution, Dutta maintained.
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