NGT raps Taj Trapezium Zone, UP govt for‘not taking requisite steps' to curb pollution
Agra: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up UP govt and the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) authority for "their failure to implement effective pollution-curbing measures in Agra".
The tribunal observed that "in spite of established plans, the authorities have not executed requisite steps to mitigate pollution".
This censure was expressed in an order dated May 14, with the document made available on Saturday. NGT directed both the TTZ chairman and state environment secretary to submit a detailed affidavit outlining the measures adopted to execute various plans "within a period of four weeks".
The tribunal scheduled the next hearing for Sept 19.
A bench of Justices Prakash Shrivastava (chairperson), Sudhir Agarwal, Arun Kumar Tyagi and Afroz Ahmad considered an application filed by Eisha Krishn, Mansi Bachani and Gitanjali Sanyal with their advisers.
The petition called for the implementation of the 2019 Action Plan for Control of Air Pollution in Agra city, featuring "short-term and long-term measures for pollution reduction".
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Prior to the hearing on May 6, Agra district magistrate Aravind Mallappa Bangari outlined steps "proposed in terms of the Master Plan of Agra", which included introduction of electric buses, construction of peripheral highways, collection of segregated waste by agencies and then its disposal directly in the plant without dumping it on land, ensure ban on burning of farm waste and crop residues, and tree plantation drives, among others.
The tribunal stated that although deadlines for many of these measures have long lapsed, several initiatives remain unexecuted. "The action plan is yet to be fully implemented," the tribunal stated.
The order further read: "We are of the view that the clear and full details in respect of the action which has been taken to implement the action plan for Agra have not been placed on record. The secretary, environment department, state of UP, is directed to file an affidavit providing the full details of the actions completed....
Let this affidavit be filed within a period of four weeks."
Additionally, NGT directed TTZ chairman to submit an affidavit detailing actions to ensure the implementation of the plan and compliance with powers under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The TTZ -- spanning 10,400 sq km around the Taj Mahal -- was constituted to shield the monument from pollution. It covers Agra, Mathura, Firozabad, Hathras, Etah in UP, as well as Bharatpur in Rajasthan and some portions of Aligarh and Dholpur.
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