The National Green Tribunal has directed the Centre to finalise within two months the standards for using lead in Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipes which are commonly used in most buildings.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to finalise a draft notification within the stipulated period.
"We find that once the expert committee has recommended issuance of draft notification on December 13, 2018, there is no reason to further delay the publication of the draft notification and finalisation of the same in such a sensitive matter of environment," the bench said.
"Accordingly, the MoEF may now publish the draft notification, if not yet published, and finalise the same at the earliest and furnish compliance report within two months by e-mail," it added.
The tribunal was informed by the Environment Ministry that draft rules were considered on December 13, 2018 and a recommendation was made to issue a draft notification as per the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The NGT was earlier informed that water passing through PVC pipes commonly used in most buildings may contain toxic materials like lead, which has a hazardous effect on human health.
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The green panel was hearing a plea filed by environment activist Ajay Kumar Singh, seeking the issuance of notification to lay down standards for lead to be used in PVC pipes and to phase out lead as a stabiliser in PVC pipes.
The plea also sought directions for withdrawal of PVC pipes, containing lead-based heat stabiliser, from the market and a ban on the use of such stabilisers.
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