5-year-old girl moves NGT over noise pollution by Delhi Metro

NEW DELHI: The hardship of noise pollution has not escaped the life of a 5-year-old girl Samriddhi Goswami, a resident of Rohini. She has moved National Green Tribunal (NGT) alleging noise pollution done by the Delhi Metro.

In the hearing of the plea, the NGT of Tuesday rapped the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation over the issue of noise pollution and directed to strictly adhere to environmental norms.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to comply with the prescribed limits and directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to ensure that no noise pollution is caused by its activities, including construction and operation.

Samridhi, filed the appeal through her father Rakesh Goswami, seeking to shift of Rohini sector 18-19 Metro stations to a suitable alternate site as noise levels were found to be above 85 decibels. The girl, in her plea filed through advocates Salik Shafique and Rahul Khurana, has also sought an erection of sound barriers around the Rohini Sector-18 Metro station in West Delhi and compensation for causing trauma due to noise pollution due to construction and trial of the metro rail and the station.

The plea said the applicant has made several complaints through her father to various authorities.

But her grievance was not redressed and the complaint was disposed of by Delhi Metro with remarks that the "grievance can't be resolved to the satisfaction of customer".

Referring to the Environment Impact Assessment Report of metro stations prepared in August 2011, the plea has said the document provides that noise pollution may not pose a health risk but can lead to sleep disorders, stress, high blood pressure and anxiety.

The petition has made the ministry of environment and forests, the Delhi government, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation as parties in the case.

The representatives of the DMRC have assured the green court to look after the issue and to respond accordingly. However, the residents of the area have the same problem as reported to the NGT.

In March, nine-year-old Uttarakhand resident Ridhima Pandey had moved the NGT saying the Centre was not doing enough to reduce the impact of climate change in India.

The tribunal then issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Central Pollution Control Board, asking for a response.