Penalty of ₹2 lakh imposed on State government

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday rapped the Delhi government for not filing an action plan pertaining to pollution as a result of crop burning in Delhi-NCR and imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh on the State government.

Affidavit declined

Coming down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, the Bench headed by judicial member Jawad Rahim said, “If we have issued a direction, please comply with it. Who has filed the affidavit? Is he higher in rank than the Chief Secretary?”

The directions came while the counsel appearing for the Delhi government informed the court that the affidavit had been signed by the Joint Director of Agriculture and not the Chief Secretary. “Delhi has not filed the action plan. We decline the affidavit filed by the State government. Our order clearly directed that the Chief Secretary had to file it and there cannot be any exception to it,” added the Bench.

The green committee further said that 25% of the amount had to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board, 25% to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the remaining amount to the NGT bar commission.

The tribunal also additionally observed that the States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab had filed their respective action plans.

The Rajasthan government was also pulled up for not complying with orders and submitting the action plan signed by the Chief Secretary of the State.

In February, the green panel, in a bid to tackle air pollution, had directed Delhi and five other northern States to formulate a comprehensive policy for providing incentives and infrastructural assistance to farmers to deter them from burning residue.

“You [State governments] may have joined 2-3 States together, but, we require action plans for each State about how you are planning to deal with the matter, and it should be signed by the chief secretary of each State. The scheme must contain the incentives that you are offering so that we can take a further action” the Bench had said.