The National Human Rights Commission has sent notices to the Centre and the governments of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana in view of “life-threatening” pollution levels here and in the National Capital Region.
The NHRC criticised the authorities for not taking proper steps to tackle the ”hazard”, amounting to violation of right to life and health.
The rights panel sought reports within two weeks from different Union ministries and the three governments on ”effective steps” being taken and proposed to tackle the situation.
”The state cannot leave its citizens to die due to the toxic haze,” it said in a statement.
Notices were issued to the secretaries of the Union ministries of environment, health and highways and road transport along with the chief secretaries of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.
The commission said it had taken a serious view of the ”life-threatening” pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region, which includes Delhi, seven districts in Uttar Pradesh, 14 in Haryana and two in Rajasthan.
“It is apparent that the authorities concerned have not taken proper steps throughout the year to tackle this hazard, which is amounting to violation of the right to life and health of the residents in the region,” the NHRC observed.
The panel said it expected the health secretary to give details about the preparedness of government hospitals and other agencies to attend to those affected by pollution and steps taken to create awareness among the public.
Proper implementation of environmental laws was necessary, the statement said.
”There is a need for an effective study by experts and proper implementation of their recommendations, including short-term and long-term measures. There is also a need for preventive medical check-ups for the people,” the panel said.
The NHRC also observed that almost every newspaper and TV channel was running stories on the subject. The toxic smog in the city had become “an annual health hazard”, particularly, at a time when the winters were about to start.
”It is further mentioned that the air quality in the world’s most polluted capital city plunged to levels likened to smoking at least 50 cigarettes in a single day. One of the news websites reports that the situation is the worst, as it has touched the 1,000 mark on the air quality index, in certain parts of Delhi,” the NHRC statement said.
