Green Update

Tree TakeOct 12, 2019 12:00 AM

NGT slams delhi pollution control committee for inaction against violators

The NGT has slammed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) over its inaction on controlling pollution and taking action against violators saying it is not just a supervisory authority but has to act itself. A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore said it is high time that DPCC realised its responsibilities and duties and took prompt steps to do the needful whenever there is violation of environmental law. The National Green Tribunal was hearing a letter petition sent by Resident Welfare Association, Madipur village here, alleging pollution by rag pickers who are sorting solid waste including plastic. The tribunal noted that instead of taking action, the DPCC has filed a status report which fortifies the condition at the site. “But so far as the steps to be taken by DPCC is concerned, it is only to the limited extent that they have issued direction purporting to be under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to the Deputy Commissioner, SDMC and Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department,” the tribunal noted. “This reflects the working of DPCC which does not do its statutory duties and when directions are issued by the Tribunal, they wake up and only issue Notice to SDMC under the Environment (Protection) Act,” it said. The green panel said: “We once again direct DPCC to take all action, in accordance to law, on the complaint which has been sent by RWA and not merely shift its responsibility to other Department. Even if any other Department is required to do a work, it is the responsibility of DPCC to have it done immediately, it said. “Merely, issuance of Notice etc. is no redressal of the grievance raised by the public. The DPCC is not a supervisory authority to just inform the SMDC but it has to take the matter itself so as to see that violation of environmental law is redressed.” The NGT directed the Chairman of DPCC to be present on September 13, the next date of hearing, after completely redressing the grievance raised by RWA. Advocate Kush Sharma, accepted the notice issued by the tribunal on behalf of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. The tribunal directed that "SDMC should also look into the grievance raised by the applicant and do the needful for its redressal, immediately. A report in respect of steps taken by SDMC should be submitted before the next date of hearing"

QR tags removed from 100 trees in Lodhi Gardens

Quick response tags have been removed from around 100 trees in Lodhi Gardens in New Delhi after the forest department issued a direction to the city Municipal Council, an official said. A forest department team conducted an inspection of trees on Saturday and found that QR tags, which caused extensive damage to the trunk of the trees, had been removed, the official said. In December last year, the NDMC had fixed QR codes to provide visitors information regarding the tree's age, lifespan, botanical name, latitude, longitude, common name, girth and canopy size etc. QR tags violated the National Green Tribunal order dated April 23, 2013 that says nothing can be fixed on trees, Verhaen Khanna from the New Delhi Nature Society, the NGO that raised the issue with the forest department, said. “A portion of the trunk was cut out to fix these QR tags measuring 10 cm x 10 cm and up to 2.5 cm deep. It led to infection and caused penetrative damage to the trees,” he said. After several hearings, a notice was issued to the NDMC to remove the QR tags. As per the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, a fine of Rs 10,000 per tree can be imposed on the NDMC but no decision has been taken on this yet, he said. Khanna said some medicine has been applied on trees to reverse the damage.