Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to examine the feasibility of setting up more ambient air quality monitoring stations to check the pollution level in the city. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan disposed of a Public Interest Litigation from Y. Akbar Ahmed, a social activist, which sought a direction to the TNPCB to conduct an air, environment and noise pollution check in the areas of Triplicane, Anna Salai, Mylapore, Guindy, Pallavaram and other areas in the city, which were not covered under the eight areas where such stations were already set up.
The bench said the grievance of the petitioner was that the TNPCB was operating eight ambient air quality monitoring stations in Chennai under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme, while the extent of Chennai was quite large. In effect, the prayer was that the PCB should have more such stations to check the pollution levels in different parts of Chennai.
“We are of the view that the authorities may examine the feasibility of setting up more of such monitoring stations keeping in mind the different areas covered by the Chennai city and communicate the decision to the petitioner within three months”, the bench added. Akbar Ahmed submitted in his petition that the pollution in respect of the environment, smoke, dust and garbage was very severe in the city.
Due to vehicular movement and the fumes from the diesel engines, it is causing severe discomfiture to the people on the streets and elsewhere and it is very dangerous for the health of the people. He said the environmental pollution was due to open garbage and brackish water and open drainages on the roads leading to various harmful diseases to the human beings.
Since no action was taken, he approached the high court, which dismissed his petition on July 13, 2016. Subsequently, his representation was considered and action had been taken by the TNPCB. On his RTI query to disclose the level and risks due to the air pollution, noise pollution and environment pollution in the city, the TNPCB gave details regarding the level of air pollution in respect of only 8 areas. Therefore, he filed the present petition, he added.
