The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expanded the ambit of hearing cases on pollution due to firecrackers and issued notices to 18 states including Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, where air quality is beyond norms.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel on Wednesday sought response from Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
The NGT was hearing various pleas seeking action against pollution by use of firecrackers when the air quality is unsatisfactory with the potential of the severity of Covid-19 pandemic.
Earlier, the NGT had issued notices to Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and the state governments of Odisha and Rajasthan have already banned the sale and use of firecrackers.
The tribunal said it may have to consider prohibiting the use of firecrackers to protect the health of people in 122 non-attainment cities where air quality, as per record maintained by the CPCB, is generally beyond permissible limits.
“Accordingly, we consider it appropriate to issue a notice to all the States/UTs where the above cities fall, in addition, to notice already issued to the Governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
However, the NGT did not specify the names of cities in Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland where the air quality is beyond the permissible limits.
The NGT notice was served to the chief sectaries of Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, sources said, and have been asked to respond by Thursday.
The NGT on November 2 had issued notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and some state governments on whether the use of firecrackers be banned from November 7 to 30 in the interest of public health and environment.