Social functions under NGT’s lens

New Delhi: Social and commercial functions in public parks in residential colonies in the national capital have come under the lens of the National Green Tribunal, which has formed a committee to regulate such events.

The green panel said there was need to assess carrying capacity of the area to allow such events in respect of number of vehicles, generation and disposal of municipal solid waste, safety hazards, noise pollution, emergency response etc. 

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed constitution of a joint committee of representatives of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Pollution Control Committee, South Delhi Municipal Commissioner and Commissioner of Delhi Police to submit a detailed report in this regard, including guidelines to regulate such events in public parks and residential localities. 

The nodal agency will be CPCB and the guidelines may be considered for entire Delhi, the NGT said. The tribunal directed that the report may be furnished by January 31, 2019 and listed the matter for March 8, 2019. 

The NGT's order came after it took note of a complaint by Rakesh Tihara, alleging that "Ornamental park" at Sundar Nagar in Delhi is being misused for organising events in disregard of environmental norms. 

There is illegal use of diesel generators, non-compliance of requirements of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016; illegal parking leads to huge traffic jams besides noise pollution, the complaint said.