National Green Tribunal bans burning of tyres in public areas

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned the burning of tyres in open areas and in localities surrounded by residential areas, schools, hospitals and offices, as it causes air pollution and is a health hazard.

A division bench of Justice VR Kingaonkar and Dr Ajay Deshpande, an expert, on September 6, directed "The police authorities, district administration and urban local bodies shall ensure the compliance of this prohibition with immediate effect. In case of defiance, it will be treated as an offence under IPC section 188."

It also directed the department of environment and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to conduct a scientific study on the life cycle assessment of used tyres and frame suitable regulations to ensure environmentally-sound disposal practices of the used tyres over the next eight months.

Further, the reuse of used tyres as fuel in industries, including brick-kilns, is allowed only after specific permissions from the MPCB. These directives were issued during the hearing of an application filed by a bunch of advocates led by advocate Asim Sarode of Pune. The petition stated that unauthorised and unscientific burning of tyres – which emit smoke – contain toxic gases and pollutants affecting the environment and human life.

Burning of tyres has now become a regular feature in any social and political agitation, resulting in pollution and environment damage.

The MPCB filed an affidavit stating that a committee was constituted to study the matter and it has concluded that tyre burning in an open atmosphere generates highly toxic, mutagenic and hazardous emissions, primarily owing to incomplete oxidation.

Further, it recommended that the state issue a notification prohibiting the burning of tyres in the air Pollution Control area. Also, law and order enforcement agencies were to be directed to take appropriate action against such activity, under the Bombay Police Act, CrPC etc.

The bench directed the state to take a decision within eight weeks on the recommendation given by MPCB and issue necessary notification thereafter, within two weeks.