The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the central government of India to come up with laws to cope with the Indoor pollution. Moreover, the NGT wants the Central Government to apply the laws within the next 3 months for the betterment of public health.
The principal bench headed by NGT chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel while dealing with matters which have common prayer for direction to evolve standards for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), noted that “Public place means any place to which the public has access, whether as of right or not, and includes auditoriums, hotels, public waiting rooms, convention centers, public offices, shopping malls, cinema halls, educational institutions, libraries, open grounds and the like which are visited by the general public.”
During the course of the hearing, the bench took note of a relevant article, in which it was stated that toxic gases and particulate matter may be generated indoors which may adversely affect the employees working in such places and also the general public visiting there.
“Joint Committee may hold its first meeting within one month and after deliberations work out appropriate standards and protocols for indoor air quality for safeguarding public health at Public places under the EP Act, EP Rules or the Air Act within three months. It will be open to the applicants to make their respective representations before the Committee. Based on the report of the Committee, MoEF/CPCB may issue appropriate orders under the relevant statutory provisions,” read the order.
