New Delhi: The central government has issued an ordinance making pollution a crime with a jail term, which can be up to 5 years and a penalty of up to Rs 1 crore. The ordinance was issued Wednesday night after approval by President Ram Nath Kovind.
Earlier this week, Attorney General Tushar Mehta, during a PIL hearing seeking a ban on stubble burning, had informed the Supreme Court that the Center will enact a law to combat the threat of air pollution. in Delhi-NCR.
Mehta also urged the court to hold his order for a one-man panel from former Supreme Court Judge Judge Madan B. Lokur to monitor steps to contain stubble burning. The superior court is scheduled to hear this PIL later in the day.
Under the ordinance, a Commission for Air Quality Management will be established for the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjacent areas in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“Any breach of this Ordinance, the rules dictated in it or any other order or direction issued by the Commission shall be a crime punishable by imprisonment for a period that may extend up to five years or with a fine that may extend up to one crore rupees or both ”, said the ordinance.
The president of the Commission will be selected by a committee headed by the Minister of Environment and Forests and will also be made up of the Ministers of Transport and Trade, Science and Technology and the Cabinet Secretary, as members.
The 18-member Commission will be headed by a full-time President who has been either Secretary of the Government of India or Chief Secretary of a state. Of the 18 members, 10 will be bureaucrats while others are experts and activists.
The Commission will study issues of stubble burning, vehicular pollution, dust pollution and all other factors that contribute to the deterioration of air quality in Delhi-NCR.
One of the important aspects of the commission is that the Center has proposed to replace the EPCA appointed by the Supreme Court and all other bodies with it, which will make this Commission an exclusive authority on air quality management for Delhi -NCR, and will present annual reports to Parliament.
The commission will be a central body for all purposes. Commission orders can only be challenged before the National Green Court and not before any civil court.
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(With IANS inputs)
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