Kolkata, Sept. 27 -- Concern over deteriorating air quality in Kolkata and Howrah, particularly during winter, has prompted the Calcutta High Court to seek a time-bound roadmap from the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) to tackle air pollution across the state.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai directed the board to formulate specific policies and measures to improve air quality, in consultation with field experts.
The directions came while hearing a PIL filed by an advocate Akash Sharma along with the court's own motion. The petition sought a coordinated institutional mechanism to monitor air quality and respond to periods of severe pollution.
The court also directed the WBPCB and state authorities to take appropriate steps to control pollution caused by firecrackers during the forthcoming festive season.
The Board has been asked to place before the court a comprehensive roadmap setting out the proposed measures and their timelines. The directions seek to make the state's response to deteriorating air quality more structured rather than limiting it to monitoring pollution levels.
During the hearing, the state counsel said the government would respond positively if the Board formulated policies and made recommendations, noting that the proceedings were "not an adversarial litigation".
The WBPCB has been directed to file its report by October 13. The matter will next be heard on November 19.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.