Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi will introduce a private member's billproposing amendments in the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,1981. The bill will be introduced during the winter session of the Parliamentto be commenced from November 18 till December 13.
The Congress MP asked, "Can you imagine that in 2019, theprimary law governing the working of our agencies is the air act, 1981?"
According to a report, Gogoi said that the EnvironmentProtection Act, which is the mother parent act, is from the 80s. An act fromthe 80s will not suffice in 2019, said Gogoi.
Gogoi further stated that the act needs to be upgraded for whichhe will introduce the new bill and therefore, he is pushing forward thegovernment to realize that they need to upgrade or amend the Act.
He also said that his first aim is to highlight that airpollution is a health issue adding that nowhere in the Act is it mentioned thatit is a health issue. So he will put it right there in the new act.
The Congress MP further reiterated that the main component ofthe bill is to give more control to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)as it should be given a legal mandate to enforce penalties and take strictaction against polluters.
He said that the CPCB, does not have the power to enforce apenalty and it can enforce penalty only as of now adding that the premier bodythat looks after issues of air pollution is a diluted agency.
