Amit Shah rally: NGT seeks reply from Centre, Haryana

Rally on February 15 to kick off Lok Sabha poll campaign

CHANDIGARH: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday fixed February 13 for deciding a petition seeking reduction in the number of motorcycles at BJP chief Amit Shah’s February 15 rally in Jind to kick off the 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign.

The NGT has sought responses from the Haryana government, state pollution control board, Union environment ministry and central pollution control board.

The petition was made on the grounds that the large number of bikes was detrimental to the air quality index of Haryana and Delhi.

The petitioner, Victor Dhissa, a Supreme Court lawyer, contended in his petition that instead of motorbikes, the state government should opt for bicycles or other environmentfriendly modes of transport for the rally.

“The state BJP chief has announced that at least five persons from each of the 17,018 polling booths will reach the venue on motorbikes, thereby implying that almost one lakh bikes will reach the venue in Jind district on February 15,” the petitioner said.

Giving instance of November 2017 when schools were being shut down and public advisories were issued asking people to stay indoors due to poor quality of air, the petitioner said that the Haryana government had mindlessly organised this huge motorbike rally “which is certainly going to have a long term environmental effect” on the NCR area.

The state government should also consider the impact of such a huge motorbike rally on noise pollution levels,’’ the petitioner has contended.

The counsel for Haryana government, additional advocate general Anil Grover contended before the bench that the petition was not maintainable, having no merits and lack of jurisdiction.

The tribunal, however, observed that an affidavit should be filed first and all the issues will be considered thereafter.

HISAR DC CANCELS LEAVES OF ALL ADMN OFFICIALS AFTER JATS RALLY CALL

In view of the Jat tractor-trailer yatra and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah’s rally in Jind on February 15, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Hisar has cancelled the leaves of all administration officials and asked them to form a Suraksha Dal.

Hisar DC Nikhil Gajraj also alerted the police department and directed them to keep strict vigil on every route leading to Jind from Hisar.

There are about four main roads that connects to Jind from Hisar district.

Additional police companies will keep an eye on every moment of the Jats.

DC Nikhil Gajraj, in a press release issued here, said, “In view of the rally of BJP national president Amit Shah, all leaves of department officials have been cancelled. The Jat community will observe a Balidan diwas (sacrifice day) at Mayyar village of Hisar on January 18. The administration will keep a strict eye on every situation and no one will be allowed to breach the law and order situation.”

Direct respondents (authorities) to either reduce the number of motorbikes or use more environment friendly modes and methods...

THE PETITION