NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted a sevenmember expert committee to keep a check on pollution around All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and to find remedies within a month including noise and dust control measures and regulation of traffic to keep air quality within prescribed limits. The decision of the green court came while hearing a complaint highlighting various pollution issues near the premier health institute which also affects the patients, attaching photographs of the area.
The petitioner, Gaurav Sharma said AIIMS is an institution of excellence with multi-specialty treatment facilities where the daily footfall has increased to 65,000 persons and footfall of vehicles has increased to 7,500 per day. He said three AAQ Monitoring Stations near AIIMS were under the ‘severe’ category in November and December.
“Healthy people visiting such an environment can get affected by some disease,” the plea read. It added that hawkers, shopkeepers and vehicles obstructing emergency movement of ambulances. “Pavements are encroached by residence or commercial activities. There is no adequate green belt necessary to absorb dust and carbon dioxide generated. With a view to keep air quality within prescribed limits, measures to scientifically handle garbage and bio-medical waste are not adequately taken,” the plea read.
“We are satisfied that the matter needs consideration,” said NGT chairperson Justic Adarsh Kumar Goel. The committee will be headed by Member Secretary, CPCB and include DCP (Traffic), area DFO, MCD, DPCC and Director AIIMS or his nominee and a nominee of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital.
“The Committee may consider the allegations noted, including traffic/parking status and deliberate upon plan for mitigation measures to control air pollution such as regulation of traffic, shifting to battery operated vehicles in specified areas, no vehicle zones, removal of encroachments and hawkers, noise and dust control measure, water sprinkling, among others,” the order said. The tribunal directed the panel to meet within one week and conduct proceedings online or offline, undertake visit to the site and interact with authorities concerned and submit its factual report with short-term and long-term measures.
EMERGENCY MOVEMENTS HIT BY HAWKERS, VEHICLES: PLEA
The petitioner, Gaurav Sharma, told NGT that AIIMS is an institution of excellence with multi-specialty treatment facilities where the daily footfall has increased to 65,000 persons and footfall of vehicles has increased to 7,500 per day. He said three AAQ Monitoring Stations near AIIMS were under the ‘severe’ category in November and December. The plea said that hawkers, shopkeepers and vehicles were obstructing emergency movement of ambulances.
