NGT seeks details of ozone committee within four weeks

In August 2024, NGT took suo motu cognisance of a news report that highlighted high ozone levels in the country

New Delhi

In an affidavit shared with the tribunal on April 19 this year, the ministry had said it agreed with the findings of a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report from December 2024, which found high levels of ground-level ozone in the major cities in the country. (Representive photo)

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) four weeks to share the terms of reference for an expert committee, which will study the impact of high ground level Ozone (O3) on human health. The NGT also sought details of the experts who will be proposed to be part of this committee.

In August 2024, NGT took suo motu cognisance of a news report that highlighted high ozone levels in the country. It had sought details from the central pollution body on this. In its order dated August 21, 2025, a bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Prakash Shrivastava said it agreed with the stance of agencies to create such an expert committee.

“Learned Counsel appearing for MoEF&CC is granted four weeks’ time to indicate the proposed Terms of Reference for the Expert Committee and the experts who are proposed to be included in that Committee...” the bench said.

In an affidavit shared with the tribunal on April 19 this year, the ministry had said it agreed with the findings of a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report from December 2024, which found high levels of ground-level ozone in the major cities in the country.

“Considering the importance of the subject matter and the need for a more comprehensive understanding, the MoEFCC recommends the constitution of an expert committee comprising of specialist of experts in this relevant field and submit report in a time-bound manner as mentioned in the CPCB report,” the submission had said, adding it agreed with the recommendations of the CPCB to control precursors of ozone, namely nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), methane (CH4) and carbon monoxide (CO), at source.

In September 2024, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) shared a report on ground-level ozone with the tribunal—stating high levels were recorded for 56 days in Nehru Nagar in April and May 2023, for 45 days at Patparganj and 38 days at Aurobindo Marg—at all traffic hot spots.

The highest concentration, 224.9 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3), was recorded at Nehru Nagar, located near Lajpat Nagar. This was followed by a peak average of 188.3µg/m3 at Patparganj and 175.4µg/m3 at RK Puram, according to DPCC’s report. All of these exceeded the national permissible standard of 100µg/m3 for an eight-hour period, it had said.