Dismiss air pollution plea: Haryana government to NGT

The state government of Haryana told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday that the plea against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah's February 15 rally in Jind, which will see mobilisation of one lakh motorbikes, did not have any valid grounds and sought its dismissal. The state government was responding through an affidavit to the Tribunal's notice on the plea by advocate Victor Dhissa. The plea had raised concerns that the mobilisation of one lakh motorbikes for Shah's rally would lead to air pollution.

The Haryana government also said that the Tribunal did not have any jurisdiction over the issue as there was no substantial question in relation to environment.

However, the Haryana government sought to assure the Tribunal that the district administration, Jind, and state pollution control board had taken adequate measures to curb air pollution and noise pollution arising out of the mobilisation for the rally. The Tribunal has now listed the matter for February 15.

In its affidavit, the Haryana government said that the advocate's plea was liable to be dismissed as it was an "abuse of process of law and has been filed with ulterior motives by the applicant." With no direct violation of any specific statutory obligations as provided under the enactments specified under Schedule I of NGT Act, the application did not have any locus standi, the state government said.

It added that the apprehensions expressed in the plea about pollution due to one lakh motorbikes was not based on any conclusive study, documentary evidence and was just bald and baseless allegations. The plea had said that the use of one lakh motorbikes would lead to air pollution in the district.

The Haryana government said that as a measure to prevent air pollution from re-suspended dust particles, all major roads and direct roads around rally area will be sprinkled with water. State pollution control board would also measure ambient noise pollution before, during and after the rally, the state government said in its response.

THE ASSURANCE

• Haryana government assured the Tribunal that the district administration, Jind, and state pollution control board had taken measures to curb pollution arising out of the rally.
   
• It said the concerns expressed was not based on any conclusive study