NGT issues notice on heavy metals in dists

New Delhi: National Green Tribunal has taken suo motu cognizance of a TOI report on the presence of heavy metals in east Delhi and other districts. It has issued notices to Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Central Pollution Control Board, the ministry of environment, forests and climate change, Punjab Pollution Control Board, and district magistrates of East Delhi and Ludhiana.The tribunal has asked these agencies to file a response at least one week before the next hearing on Feb 6. It observed that the TOI report titled "Heavy metals in PM2.5: New study reveals air quality concerns in East Delhi," which was published on Sept 29, relates to a study revealing severe heavy metal pollution in East Delhi's air, raising significant health concerns."The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance with provisions of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986," said the bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava in an order dated Oct 16, which was shared on Saturday.As per the news item, the study detected alarming levels of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and nickel in the air. In East Delhi, chromium, copper, zinc, molybdenum and lead were the major heavy metals in PM2.5. They are known to have severe health impacts, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, noted the tribunal. NGT said the study found the heavy metal exposure index, which is the toxicity load, was the highest in East Delhi before Covid-19 lockdown. After the lockdown, it was highest in Ludhiana, followed by East Delhi.