The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognizance of the death of a five-year-old girl, found trapped in the deep, slush-filled waters near Palla village check post near Akbarpur Marza village, New Delhi.
The petition is registered suo-motu on the basis of the news item dated 27.08.2024.
The article highlights that the open drains that crisscross the village pose a significant risk to residents, especially to children.
Based on the news item, the Tribunal noted that the drain was to carry rainwater, but it looks like sewage slush filled in it due to non-maintenance and non-compliance of environmental norms, resulting in the accident.
The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance of the environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo-motu exercise of power has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.”
Hence, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Dr. A. Senthil Vel impleaded the following as respondents in the matter:
i. Central Pollution Control Board, Through its Member Secretary.
ii. Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Through its Member Secretary.
iii. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
iv. District Magistrate, North West Delhi .
The Bench issued notice to the Respondents and listed the matter on 03.01.2025.