Hot mix plants are self-contained bitumen and aggregate mixing plants which are extremely compact in size. “Any state go-vernment, government in-strumentality, local autho-rities or any person is her-eby prohibited from using hot mix plants in any part of NCR-Delhi,” a bench he-aded by the NGT chairperson, Justice Swatanter Kumar, said.

“If any person is found using the hot mix plants, we direct the Delhi Poll-ution Control Committee, Central Pollution Control Board to seize such ma-chine immediately which is being operated without ensuring full environmental protection. The police shall duly assist the team in the process,” it said.

“The court told DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee), MoEF (ministry of environment and forests) and CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) to seal all the machinery whosoever is using a hot mixing plant on the road, or using any such stone crusher chips,” lawyer Balendu Shekhar said.

“Even the police have said that they are expected to give adequate support to all three departments, wh-osoever has been assigned to seize their machinery,” he added.

The directions came on the affidavit filed by environment and forests ministry, which had stated th-at National Highway Auth-ority of India (NHAI), De-lhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and public works department are carrying out projects which are cau-sing huge damage to environment on Delhi-Farida-bad (Mathura) Road.

During the hearing, the green panel also criticised Delhi Metro for creating chaos on the roads leading to vehicular emissions.

“Every station of yours is a muck. See the mess the DMRC has created from Munirka to Vasant Kunj in laying of underground cab-les,” the bench said. The NGT has also asked the Delhi government to furnish details of points for entry and exit of vehicles.

The Delhi government has said that in compliance of the NGT order, it has not been able to deploy manpower at all the points. At this juncture, it has deployed manpower at seven points, Me Shekhar said.

To scrutinise and to get the actual details, the NGT has appointed several advocates as local commissioners, who will conduct surprise visits to all those seven points to assess whether the stand taken by the Delhi government is true or not, he added.

“On that basis, day after tomorrow, this is expected to come to the court, and on that day, court may pronounce a final judgment,” he said.

Meanwhile, the green panel on Monday issued a notice to the Delhi government and South Delhi Municipal Corporation over commercial activities and encroachment in the “green belt” along the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road in Saket. The panel sought their reply by September 23.

South Delhi residents Tripta Sood and Vivek Pande had moved the NGT for directions to maintain status quo to protect the green belt, which is about 1.5 km long and 13m wide, from any change in land use, tree felling, encroachments etc.