NGT fines govt over stubble burning plan

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has fined the Delhi government ₹2 lakh for not submitting an action plan for curbing pollution due to crop burning in Delhi-ncr.

Even though the government has submitted an affidavit on Tuesday, it was not signed by the chief secretary, like the other states, as ordered by the tribunal in February.

Coming down heavily on the Delhi 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 Delhi government’s counsel informed the court that the affidavit of the action plan 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,” the bench said.

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

The bench also observed that the 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 infrastructure 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... and it should be signed by the chief secretary of each state,” the bench had said.