Air pollution: 18 arrested in Greater Noida for flouting NGT orders
Noida (UP), Dec 8 : Eighteen people were arrested in Gautam Buddh Nagar's Greater Noida Saturday for allegedly violating the National Green Tribunal's orders on checking air pollution, officials said.
This is the first such action in Delhi-National Capital Region in which arrests have been made at construction sites where material was found uncovered and dust was blowing, they said.
A team of subdivisional magistrate, Dadri, Anjani Kumar Singh, Police Circle Officer, Bisrakh, Nishank Sharma and officials of the Central Pollution Control Board carried out inspections at the construction sites where dust was blowing in violation of the NGT orders, the district administration said.
"Eighteen people were arrested under Section 151 -- of the CrPC-- and have been sent to jail," it said in a statement.
The accused were arrested from the sites of Galaxy Builders in Sector 4, Town Central, PKS group in Sector 16B, an under construction Bharat Petroleum filling statuin opposite Ecotech 12 and an illegal crushing/grinding unit from Sector -2 (Village Patwari), it said.
Cases against them were being initiated under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986, it added.
District Magistrate, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Brajesh Narain Singh said similar action would continue further against those violating the guidelines and orders of the Supreme Court, the central government and the NGT.
"If we look at the air quality indicators, they are consistently in the 'poor' or the 'very poor' category and that seems to have become the new normal. We are making all efforts towards checking air pollution and improving air quality," he told PTI.
Singh added that in compliance with the court orders, 61 people were arrested in Gautam Buddh Nagar for bursting crackers during Diwali and thereby contributing to air pollution.
The NGT had last month ordered a temporary ban on construction activities in Delhi-NCR in the wake of alarming air pollution situation ahead of Diwali. The green panel had also directed that no construction material be kept in the open even after the ban was lifted.
The SC had on November 26 directed the CPCB, State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and authorities under the Graded Action Plan "to take immediate action for prosecution" against government officials who have not penalised polluters despite receiving complaint against them.
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No more street vending on B’luru’s main roads, as govt plans to bring new policy for street hawkers
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said that the state government has decided to formulate a new policy for footpaths in Bengaluru, under which street vending will not be allowed on main roads and sub-main roads.
Addressing the media after a budget preparation meeting and executive meeting of GBA corporations at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said discussions were held with MLAs from the GBA region regarding the corporations’ budgets and key civic issues.
Leader of Opposition R. Ashok also participated in the meeting and shared his views. Officials from multiple departments, including police, BESCOM, BMRCL, BWSSB and BDA, along with ministers and legislators, were present.
He stated that all five municipalities have prepared their individual budgets, while MLAs have submitted their demands, including calls for ward-wise grants.
“We have decided to bring a new policy for footpaths. Citizens are struggling to walk as footpaths are encroached upon by street vendors,” Shivakumar said.
Highlighting the need to balance livelihoods and public convenience, he added that “a separate space will be provided for street vendors, and specific roads will be designated for their business,” ensuring that pedestrians can use footpaths without obstruction. He noted that there was unanimous agreement among MLAs on this approach.
Issuing a warning to vendors, Shivakumar said that authorities will act against those violating the rules. “If vendors operate during the day and leave their carts on the roadside at night, authorities will clear them. People should be aware of this,” he said.
Providing data on street vendors, he said that around 60,000 vendors have registered so far, of which 30,000 have applied for vehicles, and a tender has already been floated.
“Only those with street vendor identity cards will be allowed to do business. Those without ID cards will not be permitted to operate on the streets,” he added.
