Observing that authorities have failed to show concern needed to address the problems of high noise and air pollution in the city from past two years, the Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the State to come out with an overall action plan.
Also, the court said that Secretary of the Urban Development Department should be personally present during the next hearing of a PIL petition, which the court had in 2013 initiated suo motu on taking note of newspaper reports that noise levels around hospitals and residential areas are in excess of permitted levels.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice Ram Mohan Reddy also asked the BBMP and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to file a compliance report on the orders issued by the Court earlier, besides directing them to submit data of noise and air pollution levels recorded during the past one month. On development of three model roads by the BBMP based on the court’s earlier direction, the Bench wanted to know why the roads that are already in fairly good condition were taken up for improvement.
“Raj Bhavan and Cubbon roads are good. It is like hospitalising healthy persons. What about the roads which need treatment,” the Bench questioned.
“Strange are the methods of the BBMP. Has your commissioner visited St. Marks Road, which is in the heart of city? In the name of widening footpaths, you have eaten the roads. The footpaths have been widened three times though nobody walks on them, and you have reduced the road where even one vehicle can’t move…,” the court observed.
Meanwhile, the counsel for KSPCB informed the Bench that authorities are yet to implement many directions issued by the Board for reducing noise levels.
