Environmental laws applicable to railway stations: NGT

Before constructing any major railways stations, the Indian Railways has to obtain environmental clearances as several activities resulting in pollution take place there, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said.

The NGT principal bench headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said the Central Pollution Control Board on implementing the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, applicable to major railway stations as well.

"The team comprising of CPCB and concerned state pollution control board will evaluate the performance of major railway stations both in terms of implementation of action plans and compliance to the provisions of the Water Act, Air Act and Environmental Protection Act and Rules framed thereunder...," it said.

"The Rules framed under the said Act include solid waste, plastic waste, bio-medical waste, hazardous waste, construction and debris waste, e-waste Rules. Several activities take place at major railway stations which may attract provisions of the Rules. The said Rules have, thus, to be complied by all the major railway stations, to the extent applicable," the bench said.

Hearing a petition filed by lawyers Saloni Singh and Arush Pathania seeking steps to check pollution on railway properties, particularly on tracks, the bench said that Indian Railways should put in a place a system to maintain railway properties clean and dispose of waste generation in stations.