Guidelines to education institutions to check pollution

Taking note of violation of environmental norms by educational institutions across the country, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to issue guidelines in this regard.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel expressed concern over air and noise pollution caused by schools and other such institutions in contravention to green laws and asked the ministry to look into it.

"We consider it appropriate to direct the Secretary, MoEF, to have an interaction by way of video-conferencing or otherwise with the education departments of all the states in association with the pollution control boards concerned or the Central Pollution Control Board to issue appropriate guidelines to take care of the violation of environment norms by different education institutions in the country," the bench said.

The green panel directed the MoEF to file a compliance report by email at [e-mail] within eight weeks.

The tribunal's direction came while hearing a plea filed by Uttar Pradesh resident Manoj Chaudhary who alleged that nine schools close to his residence in Meerut's Mission Compound area were operating diesel generator sets and violating air and noise pollution norms for the last 10 years.

The state pollution control board had carried out an inspection at the LRA Kids School, J P Academy School, Little Scholar Colts School and Shivalik Public School on January 29, and sent a letter to the Meerut Development Authority asking it to initiate proceedings in the light of the inspection report.

Taking note of the report, the NGT said, "In view of the above, there is no reason why the Meerut Development Authority has not acted in the matter."

"We direct the authority to take action in accordance with law considering the direction of the UP pollution control board," the bench said.