Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Suntera Singh Yadav Vs Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Others dated 21/11/2022.

The NGT directed the constitution of a joint committee to look into the matter of illegal brick kilns operating in Uttar Pradesh.

The committee would comprise of Additional Chief Secretary (Environment) Uttar Pradesh, Central Pollution Control Board, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Ground Water Department, District Magistrates and senior superintendent of police and superintendent of police of the seven districts - Kasganj, Hathras, Etah, Firozabad, Agra, Etawah, and Mainpuri, and the Commissioner, Agra Division.

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The court took up the matter in response to the application filed by Suntera Singh Yadav.

The applicant referred to the compliance status of the brick kilns in Uttar Pradesh compiled by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board.

List of defaulter brick kilns in the 7 districts of issued by the UPPCB dated, July 26, 2021 listed the defaulting brick kilns in Kasganj, Hathras, Etah, Firozabad, Agra, Etawah, and Mainpuri districts.

The bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Arun Kumar Tyagi noted that the table of status of brick kilns showed that out of 1254 brick kilns operating in seven districts, the SPCB has issued closure order to 647 units for not having consent to operate (CTO) but status of compliance of emission standards is not given.