Summary:
MEERUT: Lawyer Gaurav Bansal based in Delhi has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the National Green Tribunal NGT ) on Wednesday petitioning the tribunal to give orders to Uttar Pradesh government and UP pollution control board to implement the directions of EPCA (Environment Pollution and Control Authority) in Moradabad and Meerut.EPCA, a Supreme Court constituted body, issued multiple guidelines to impose all measures under the 'severe' category of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as a preventive measure against the alarming smog that was observed on Tuesday.The directions which constituted hike in parking fees by four times to curb private vehicles on roads, increase in both metro and bus services in UP and Delhi and also closure of brick kilns, stone crushers, etc.In the list issued by Central Pollution Control Board on Tuesday wherein 42 cities' air quality index (AQI) was released, Moradabad had the highest - 500.Speaking to TOI, Bansal said, "The application was filed because there is a dire need to take measures regarding the worsening conditions of Air Quality Index (AQI) in Moradabad and Meerut.".