Builders to pay for air pollution : National Green Tribunal

 The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on November 17, 2016, clarified that whenever work is halted due to air pollution caused by construction activity in the national capital, it is the builder who has to face all its consequences, including payment of wages to the labourers during the period. “It is a settled rule of environmental jurisprudence that the ‘polluter pays’ principle, covers all consequential effects of air pollution. It is the polluter who is expected to take all precautions and also face consequences. Ripples Advisory of Indore thinks that, if a builder is causing pollution to ambient air quality, he has to bear all the consequences. In other words, the builder will not be able to deny wages, partially or fully, when work is stopped for causing air pollution,” the bench said in its order. 

 

The tribunal directed the authorities concerned, to submit the minutes of the meeting of the centralised monitoring committee, formed by the NGT to prepare action plans to combat air pollution in Delhi, by November 18, 2016. It also directed the Delhi government to place its order of November 10 on air pollution, before the competent authorities, along with data on ambient quality as informed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).