The National Green Tribunal (NGT) said the action taken reports filed by states do not reveal what action has been taken to improve the air quality on Friday. The central body pulled up several states where the Air Quality Index (AQI) has dipped to the severe, very poor and poor category. The tribunal expressed its disappointment over the issues and said, We expected some improvement after the first order but we didnt find any.NGT issued notice to Chief Secretaries of various states and directed them to take immediate action to tackle the situation and submit the report which will explain the remedial action before the Tribunal. This notice was issued for National Capital as well. Justice Prakash Shrivastavas bench said that we expected some improvement after the first notice but we didnt find any. The NGT said, Even after our order, the situation in Bihar is worrisome.NGT scolds PanjabThe bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava asked during the hearing, Is there any improvement in any place Point out one city where the situation has improved. No improvement in Amritsar. Bathinda remains in the poor category. We showed you the satellite image last time, What is shown in the report and shown in the satellite image does not match. Asking the Punjab government the NGT said, Cities in Punjab are engulfed in smoke. It rained today and God came to your rescue because he (God) also realized that nothing is being done at your end.The bench headed by NGTs Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava also comprised Sudhir Agarwal and A Senthil Vel.Noting the seriousness of the issue, NGT has impleaded the Chief Secretaries of the concerned States, Chairman, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Member Secretary, CPCB, and National Task Force through its head secretary, MoEF&CC, as parties in the case and sought their responses and directed them to take remedial action and submit an action taken report reflecting compliance of directions issued by the Tribunal from time to time in this regard.
