NGT directs owner of CNG Pump/Station to bring the noise within permissible limits within two months in Banur.Ms. Sunaina, Advocate had filed a petition (Original Application No. 805/2022 i.e. S. Gurdev Singh Applicant Versus State of Punjab &Ors. Respondents) in the Hon. National Green Tribunal New Delhi, seeking the issuance of appropriate directions to the respondents to shift the CNG filling Station M/s Banur Filling Station situated at Zirakpur-Rajpura National Highway @Banur.

Ms. Sunaina, has averred that above said CNG Station has been installed (in Mach 2021) adjoining/next to the wall of the building of Sant Baba Waryam Singh Ji Memorial Public School, Banur. The School is more than 20 years old and there are around 750 students in the School. One old Gurudwara Sahib is also situated there and a large number of devotees offer prayers in the Gurudwara Sahib. This CNG pump/station runs 24 hours a day and heavy machines /generator/compressor set installed therein make huge noise pollution.

And despite of sending numerous representations and complaints to the concerned authorities/ respondents (i.e. 1. Chief Secretary, Punjab, 2.Director, Local Bodies, Punjab, 3.Director, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, Punjab, 4.Director, Department of Health & Family Welfare Punjab, 5.Secretary, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Punjab, 6.Deputy Commissioner SAS Nagar, Mohali, 7.Divisional Head, Chandigarh Divisional Office, IOCL) 8. Owner of M/s Banur Filling Station to shift this CNG station as this is creating the noise pollution in the Silence Zone. She alleged that the huge noise of this CNG station is an underestimated threat that can cause a number of short- and long-term health problems.

It is thus clear that noise has auditory as well as non-auditory effects on sleep, hearing, and communication, mental and physical health and may even lead to madness. It can disturb work, rest, sleep, communication and damage the hearing and cause psychological and pathological reactions.

Sunaina categorically mentioned that as per the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board new Petrol Pump/CNG Gas Station shall not be located within a radial distance of 50 meters from School/Hospital. Advo. Sunaina raised questions relating to the environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

Hon. National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, taking notice of the serious allegations made in the present application by Applicant S Gurdev Singh through Advo. MsSunaina that the applicant filed a petition before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mohali under section 133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973. As per the report received from Punjab PCB, Mohali in that case the noise pollution caused by the said Petrol Pump/CNG Gas Station is beyond prescribed limits.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mohali passed a conditional order directing the Project Proponent to bring the noise level down within the prescribed limit but no action has been taken by the Project Proponent.Reply has been filed by the Respondent Owner of CNG Station/the Project Proponent by email dated 14.02.2023. Which was also taken into account while giving the directions by the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal.

National Green Tribunal categorically observed that: -

That a two member committee of the Punjab Pollution control board visited the retail outlet on 30-1-23 and monitored the noise being generated by the CNG Compressor in the presence of the complainant and it was observed as under:

That the above fact shows that the readings are well under the desired limits, which revolves around 68 to 74 (approx.) decibels. 

While disposing of the application on dated February 20, 2023, the Principle Bench of National Green Tribunal headed by Hon'ble Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM and Dr.Afroz Ahmad, EM, directed owner of CNG pump/station/Respondent No. 8 to take within two months appropriate remedial measures for reduction of noise generated by CNG Compressors by replacing the same with compressors based on latest technology or modifying the compressors already used by adopting latest technology and using other noise reduction devices/methods so as to bring the noise within permissible limits notified for the area and to file an Action Taken Report within three months by e-mail at judicial-ngt@gov.in

The Respondent No. 8 i.e. owner has already removed the old generator and has taken steps to install new generator compliant with the environmental norms. The grievance of the applicant is also against Noise Pollution caused by CNG Compressors installed by the Project Proponent. Natural Gas Compressors work by mechanically increasing gas pressure in stages (or steps) until it reaches the desired delivery point but the same also generate noise in the process.

Noise pollution can cause health ailments/issues, such as hypertension and heart disease, hearing impairment, communication problems, sleep disturbance, cognitive effects such as memory problems, reduced performance, behavioural symptoms, and more. Therefore, remedial measures have to be taken to bring the noise within permissible limits. Noise transmitted from CNG Compressors to the adjoining premises may be controlled by installing the CNG Compressors at suitable farthest place from the adjoining premises. The compressor's noise may also be reduced by using appropriate sound blankets/barriers, constructing wall enclosure or using custom engineered steel enclosures which are considered to provide a workable solution to noisy industrial/mechanical equipment’s. Remedial measure are, therefore, required to be taken by Respondent No. 8 to reduce the noise from the CNG Compressors.

While disposing of the application on dated February 20, 2023, the Principle Bench of National Green Tribunal headed by Hon'ble Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM and Dr.Afroz Ahmad, EM, directed owner of CNG pump/station/Respondent No. 8 to take within two months appropriate remedial measures for reduction of noise generated by CNG Compressors by replacing the same with compressors based on latest technology or modifying the compressors already used by adopting latest technology and using other noise reduction devices/methods so as to bring the noise within permissible limits notified for the area and to file an Action Taken Report within three months by e-mail at judicial-ngt@gov.in preferably in the form of searchable PDF/OCR supported PDF and not in the form of Image PDF, before the learned Registrar General, National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi who may, if necessary, put up the matter before the Bench for further directions.