Air pollution & smog: Delhi govt faces NGT ire

Delhi government today drew flak from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for claiming that dengue cases have declined due to stoppage of mosquito breeding caused by rising air pollution.
Castigating the Delhi government for such a submission, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar asked what it had done for health of the people in the national capital suffering under a thick smog blanket for the past three days.
The bench directed Chief Secretary of Delhi to file by tomorrow a status report explaining what preventive steps they have taken to tackle the alarming air pollution and smog level.

The bench, which will hear the matter tomorrow, asked the government to hold a meeting in this regard today itself to discuss the issue.
Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who was appearing for the petitioner, told the bench that the government was not taking appropriate steps to curb air pollution.
The NGT was hearing a petition filed by scientist Mahendra Pandey seeking directions to the authorities to tackle the menace of dengue and chikungunya in the national capital.
Since Diwali, Delhi has remained in a cover of thick pollutant-laden smog.