In this insightful interview, Senior Advocate Raj Panjwani, founder President of the NGT Bar Association, discusses the alarming air quality crisis in Delhi as it hits 'very poor' levels, resulting in smog that blankets the city. With decades of experience advocating for animal rights and environmental protection, Panjwani shares his expert insights on the legal frameworks surrounding environmental law and the urgent need for effective policies to combat pollution. He also highlights the role of citizens, organizations, and the government in addressing this critical issue. Join us as we explore the intersection of law and environmental advocacy in the fight for cleaner air.
#DelhiAirQuality #EnvironmentalLaw #RajPanjwani #NGTBarAssociation #SmogCrisis #AnimalRights #EnvironmentalProtection #CleanAir #Pollution #AirQuality #LegalAdvocacy #Sustainability
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#DelhiAirQuality #EnvironmentalLaw #RajPanjwani #NGTBarAssociation #SmogCrisis #AnimalRights #EnvironmentalProtection #CleanAir #Pollution #AirQuality #LegalAdvocacy #Sustainability
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to our next episode of One India special series, where we dive deep into
00:08pressing environmental issues, especially the current situation in Delhi. I'm your host Arushi
00:14Ranjan and today we have a distinguished guest with us, Mr. Raj Panjwani. As a Senior Advocate
00:21and Founder President of the NGT Bar Association, Mr. Raj has dedicated his career to championing
00:28animal rights and environmental protection. With extensive experience, he's here to share his
00:35insights on the alarming air quality index in Delhi and its implications for public health
00:41and the environment. Thank you so much Mr. Raj for joining One India. So I would like to begin
00:47with talking about the current air quality in Delhi. It has worsened significantly. The level
00:56has been categorized as very poor. The AQL level is currently recorded at 352 with specific
01:03regions like Anand Bihar crossing 400 which is considered as very severe. So in your view,
01:10what are the factors which are contributing to this deterioration and how do they interact to
01:17create such severe air pollution in this time period from October to February every year?
01:23Now if we look at it because these are different phases of the year and the moment the winter
01:28starts setting in, we tend to the air quality deteriorates and the more I think about it,
01:38there's no depth of science on the subject. We are quite aware of the factors which contribute
01:43to air pollution, both anthropogenic and meteorological and how these factors interplay
01:52and create kind of a gas chamber has been a subject matter of a large number of reports.
01:59The gap which one gets to see is a gap between law, implementation and what I would say the
02:08self-discipline of the citizens. That is a civic obligation which they should have
02:15towards the rest of the community. Now it is this gap between law and its implementation
02:21and which has to be counterbalanced with civic obligations is where we lack the most.
02:29And the more we go into it, we can easily visualize the factors. Obviously,
02:35the first thing which comes to our mind is the crop burning and the crop burning is
02:43somehow or the other because it's just a natural cycle. It coordinates or coincides
02:51also with the time when the air movement as per Delhi is concerned and the Delhi NCR is concerned
02:58is at its lowest. Because of the lack of the air movement and because the speed of the air
03:04much less even now for the last two days, it has improved slightly because the air
03:10speed had increased was anything between 5 to 10 to 12 kilometers an hour. Now,
03:18that even a slight difference in the air movement makes such a huge impact on the environment. But
03:25the most important thing are the two natural ecological components of the NCR. The two very
03:33crucial natural ecological components are the Yamuna and the Aravali which falls within Delhi
03:42and out here it is called the Delhi Ridge. Now, if we temper and we have tempered, let's be honest
03:48about it. We have tempered extensively with the result that Yamuna is completely polluted
03:54and as far as the green cover is concerned, whether by roads or cutting of trees and we can go into
04:01allegations and counter allegations. But when we are looking at the health of the citizens,
04:05these allegations become meaningless. The person who is suffering will say, listen, I'm suffering,
04:10you may cut two trees or 100 trees or transplant them. Now, all these are sub-subjects which crop
04:17up. Now, a lot of people, number of people I have spoken to, they say, sir, what about livelihood?
04:24You are saying no Tandoor, for example. He's a person who makes some kind of a dish
04:32which requires a Tandoor. Now, his whole shop is dependent on that Tandoor. Now, he says if you
04:39take away the Tandoor, then where do I go? What do I do? This is the only thing, this is my only
04:44livelihood. So, we have got several manifestations which contribute and how do we end up controlling
04:53it? How do we end up filling up this gap which I mentioned between the law, implementation
05:00and civic duty? Now, these are three pillars on which our entire environment depends
05:07as far as human beings are concerned, because these laws are not meant for nature. Implementation
05:14is not meant for nature. All these three components are completely anthropogenic.
05:19They are completely dependent on the human species as to how we conduct ourselves,
05:25how do we go about it. So, looking at it, but just not that, it is your own conscious place upon you
05:34that what I'm doing is not correct. This society where I'm living in does not accept this kind of
05:40behavior. But out here, when we come back to our own country or look at our own country,
05:45we have got a great, magnanimous, fatalistic heart and an opinion of our society.
05:52So, but today it's much clearer. So, let him burn. It's not a question of today,
06:02it is much clearer. It's a question of leaving a certain habit, a certain regimen of living
06:09that this is how you live. Not because the air is perfect, therefore, I can burn. The air is
06:14not perfect, therefore, I should not burn. The question is, first of all, the very basic
06:20ground rule is that you shall not burn, full stop. Now, for example, the ban on crackers up
06:25to first January of next year. I don't see that. I don't see that in Delhi.
06:33Because we are talking of modifying the social norms, the social conduct
06:41of the people and as an administrator when you are there. So, you don't bring about that you'd
06:47be a good man for three months after that you can be naughty. It makes no sense to me.
06:52I just wanted to ask that you were mentioning about the laws and those civic bodies which
06:59could make the environment better. You have a huge experience in legal framework. So, I just wanted to
07:06in India, are there any specific laws or regulations that you believe need strengthening
07:13or better enforcement which could help us combat this air pollution crisis?
07:19I think our country is the richest, is the most richest in the form of laws. We have got no doubt
07:26of that. There can't be a richer country when we look at laws because there are laws on every
07:31subject, on every topic. Though maybe the permissible pollution levels are slightly
07:41relaxed compared to other European countries. But nevertheless, even those parameters which
07:47have been fixed by the law, how many people actually comply with it? I doubt it, including
07:53myself. I'm being honest about it that the vehicle which I drive, which is a petrol vehicle,
07:59it says it is compliant but I know that the norms at which it has been put at is far more relaxed
08:06than a vehicle. If I had used the same vehicle in Europe, I would have been charlatan.
08:11But the same vehicle in India, in Delhi, is permitted because the upper limit is far more
08:17relaxed and it's practical because you can't bring about a certain drastic change to such an extent
08:23that you must reach at the same level. No. So, as for the contribution by each one of us is concerned,
08:30we have to look into ourselves and therefore the question which you put was about the laws
08:36laws are many, many, many and when you look at the implementation and I'll be very candid about
08:42the implementation part of it. For example, I won't name the state. The state formed what we
08:48call the fuel policy and of a certain area and it was made mandatory that you shall use PNG.
08:57Okay. All, I'm talking about of an industrial area, all units which are having furnaces,
09:05blast furnaces or furnaces or arcs or brick furnaces, all those are prohibited. You'll use
09:16only PNG. Now, what happens is and we are not talking of large number of units. We are just
09:21talking about 24 of them and this was a case which I was arguing just day before on Friday.
09:28The state policy came in sometime on 4th of October last year. Case was filed and I'm
09:36following up the case. So, the court is after them. You please implement your own policy,
09:42your own decision. Now, what happens? The government is very quick to take a call,
09:49take a decision but when it comes down to see that a person is actually complying and we are
09:55talking of large number of citizens. We are talking of 24 industries. That's about all.
10:00You won't believe it. Out of 24, only 21 till date have connected. So, I said they are not
10:08connected. Yes, they are not connected. You have issued so-called notice. You have passed an order
10:13that you shall not produce or operate without shifting to PNG. I said even today they are
10:21carrying on. So, why haven't you shut them down?
10:24Yeah, I think the government should take strict action against these people who are not following
10:30it. That goes without saying. So, you have to make example. It may be a harsh example.
10:38When you read it, it may look harsh. It may even be surgical. At times,
10:45we have to take surgical decisions and rightly so because there's an abscess or a cancerous
10:51part in the body. It has to be cut off. No two is about. So, you have to create an example. You have
10:58to show to others that if the non-compliance will have certain consequences. Okay, let's take
11:04another example of this crop burning. Yeah, stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana.
11:17Now, the committee is there. Committee had the power to initiate prosecution.
11:22The committee had the power to issue directions to the government. Okay, you start prosecution.
11:28You should the court come down and tell the committee that this is your power. Please
11:34exercise it. What are they waiting for? Obviously, they are waiting for nothing because there's a
11:40certain political agenda and that political agenda is predominantly controls the political will.
11:47So, when we talk of political will, it is nothing else but the political agenda
11:52of not displeasing a certain segment who may be contributing to the political party or who
12:00may be contributing by getting more votes or who may be contributing influence residents who stay
12:06out in the vicinity of that area. So, all those factors. So, it is very easy. That's what I'm
12:11saying. Therefore, it is like how should I put you take a decision if there's some resistance
12:18to that decision form a committee. Then that committee gives the recommendation. Then you
12:24allow things to cool down because if you say we have formed a committee. Thereafter, you say,
12:29okay, now let's start implementing this committee. When people ask what happened to the committee
12:34report, we are we are looking into it and we'll implement. Then they say, no, no,
12:38some more objections have come. So, we'll constitute another committee and we'll go
12:42through the process of another committee and the most glaring example, we lose everything.
12:48We lose our health, our children and then you say, oh, it's too late. Now, I promise I'll do it.
12:55Now, it's a promise we have. Damage has been done.
12:59So, lastly, before I let you go, I would very briefly want to know the three precautions which
13:06you would like to give our audience to deal with tele air quality right now. The three precautions
13:13please use public transport as much as possible. Okay. Do not opt out for auto rickshaws,
13:20which are non electric. That's part number one. Number two, if you see any building activity,
13:29construction activity or leaves being burned, please report. There are certain numbers. All
13:36you have to do is I'm sure those numbers are very easily available. Please.
13:43Yeah. And you must put it forth there and then that these are the activities. This is your
13:49responsibility. Therefore, it's pointless of sitting at home or stepping. Oh, I can't even
13:54step out. There's bad air. Do something about it. Okay. Just dial a number. You are not even
14:00willing to dial a number. And then you keep on tripping, tripping, tripping and saying,
14:05oh, it's their job. It's a policeman job. It's so and so job. It's the government's job.
14:10Yeah. So these are the two basic things which I think will bring about a lot of difference
14:17as long as we do it. And number three, I feel is, please wear your mask.
14:23Yeah, very important. And use the air purifier.
14:28If you don't want to go out, you don't want to make a phone call, wear a mask and use the air
14:33purifier. Yeah. Thank you Mr. Raj for showing your valuable insights on the pressing issue
14:39of air quality in Delhi. It's very clear that addressing this crisis requires a collective
14:45effort, which you were mentioning from the government, from the legal advocates and from
14:50the community and people they need to feel that they have to live in a safer environment.