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| DB directives in PIL highlighting poor working of State Pollution Control Board | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 5: In a Public Interest Litigation filed by Adv Rajinder Singh Jamwal highlighted the poor working of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) especially there is hardly any arrangement for testing the quality of air. The petition pointed out that in the absence of pollution check at government laboratory level most of the industrial units have seek help from private laboratories for getting the sample tested which is in violation of law because no authenticity has been attached to these reports.
A Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice MA Chowdhary after hearing petitioner Rajinder Singh Jamwal appear in person and Advocate Aseem Sawhney appearing for the intervener, directed to file action taken report about making functional of the aforestated Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations/Centres.
When the PIL came-up for hearing, DB observed that compliance affidavit stands filed by the Central Pollution Control Board (hereinafter called, "CPCB") in terms of an order dated 05.06.2018, whereby it had been directed to consider to release of funds for making operational the Centres which are already in existence and also for setting up of new Quality Ambient Air Monitoring Centres, as per the sanction.
It is contended in the affidavit that there are 703 Ambient Air Monitoring Stations, covering 307 cities/towns in 29 States and 06 Union Territories under National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (hereinafter called, "NAMP") across the country. Under NAMP, there are 07 operating stations in Jammu & Kashmir (03 stations in Jammu Division and 04 stations have been made operational during 2018-19 in Kashmir Division), whereas 03 stations in Ladakh Division are yet to be established for which capital cost of Rs. 8,16,000/- was released on 21.01.2008.
It is further submitted in the affidavit that in response to the proposal by the Jammu & Kashmir State Pollution Control Board, CPCB has in principle granted approval for the establishment of 24 new Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations under NAMP (13 in Jammu Division & 11 in Kashmir Division) on 28.08.2017. The CPCB receives 100% Grant-in-Aid from the Government of India and that funds towards sanctioned project shall be released subject to availability of funds. Three stations in Ladakh Division are yet to be established, for which capital cost of Rs. 8,16,000/- was released on 21.01.2008. An amount Rs. 45,28,000/-has been released to Jammu & Kashmir State Pollution Control Board towards operation and maintenance cost for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring, at 03 Stations in Jammu under NAMP on 19.03.2018.
DB observed that the Jammu & Kashmir State Pollution Control Board, however, has not filed any compliance affidavit with regard to utilization of the aforesaid amount, to which Division Bench directed the Jammu & Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&KPCC) to file detailed status report/action taken report in a tabulated form about making functional of the aforestated Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations/Centres.
—JNF |
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