On March 17, the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) bench comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel (Chairperson), Justice Sudhir Agarwal (Judicial Member) and Dr Senthil Vel (Expert Member) constituted a seven-member Committee to look into the air pollution jeopardising the health of the indoor as well as OPD patients and doctors and staff of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
The Tribunal observed that there are a large number of hawkers, shopkeepers and vehicles causing pollution and obstructing emergency movement of ambulances. Furthermore, the pavement around AIIMS has been encroached on for residential or commercial purposes. The Tribunal observed that there is no adequate green belt to absorb dust or carbon dioxide.
The Tribunal observed that AIIMS is an institution of excellence with a daily footfall of 65,000 people and a footfall of vehicles at 7,500 per day. The Tribunal said, “Even healthy people visiting such environment may be affected by disease on account of air pollution, apart from treatment of patients becoming more difficult.” Furthermore “as per data of three AAQ Monitoring Stations near AIIMS in the month of November-December is of ‘Severe’ category,” the Tribunal added.
The Tribunal constituted the Committee for independent and expert consideration of facts and to submit recommend short and long-term measures.
The Tribunal said, “The Committee will be free to co-opt any other expert/institution for its assistance. The Committee may meet within one week and will be free to conduct proceedings online or offline, undertake visit to the site and interact with concerned authorities and stakeholders, coordinate with any other concerned authorities and submit its factual report with recommendations or short-term and long-term measures.”
“The Committee may consider the allegations noted, including traffic/parking status and deliberate upon plan for mitigation measures to control air pollution in the area such as regulation of traffic, shifting to battery operated vehicles in specified areas, no vehicle zones, removal of encroachments and hawkers, dense plantations, noise and dust control measures at strategic locations, water sprinkling etc.,” the Tribunal added.
The Tribunal said, “Member Secretary, DPCC and Director, AIIMS or his nominee will jointly be nodal agency for coordination and compliance. The Committee may make its recommendations to remedy the situation.”
The Tribunal’s Committee will be headed “by Member Secretary, CPCB with other members being DCP (Traffic), area DFO, MCD, DPCC and Director- AIIMS or his nominee and a nominee of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital.” The Tribunal directed the Committee to submit its report within one month.
