Subscribe
NGT issues sweeping directions to regulate asbestos use and protect workers, schoolchildren, and residents from exposure.
Uttar Pradesh identifies 17 cities struggling with severe air pollution; revised clean air plans underway.
Maharashtra report reveals over 1.6 lakh farmland trees felled without permission in 14 years; NGT takes suo motu cognisance.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on October 30, 2025, issued comprehensive directions to protect workers and individuals exposed to asbestos cement roofing sheets and other asbestos-containing materials.
Employers have been directed to assess asbestos levels, mark regulated areas, post hazard signs, install ventilation systems with appropriate filters, and create green belts or other technological measures to reduce airborne asbestos levels. The proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been made mandatory for workers.
To prevent non-occupational exposure, particularly in schools, the tribunal directed that the manufacturer’s instructions and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)-recommended tools be used when handling, installing or removing asbestos-cement roofs. Safety precautions must be taken to ensure proper sealing and minimise waste generation.
The state pollution control boards and schools have been instructed to conduct regular inspections of buildings with asbestos cement roofing to assess their condition and determine the need for repairs or replacements.
Regarding transportation and disposal, the NGT directed that asbestos waste must be carried in leak-tight sealed containers such as specialised bags or drums, and any damaged containers must be repacked immediately. Vehicles transporting asbestos waste should be properly covered to prevent dust emissions, clearly marked to indicate hazardous material, and the waste must only be disposed of at authorised facilities equipped with impermeable layers, drainage systems, and environmental monitoring.
The NGT bench, headed by Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, instructed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to review all available scientific evidence and global best practices within six months. The ministry must then formulate policies to minimise or regulate the use of asbestos cement roofing sheets and other asbestos-based materials in schools, homes, and public buildings.
The tribunal further directed the MoEFCC to ensure the proper management and disposal of asbestos waste in line with its vision statement, along with a clear action plan and timelines. The MoEFCC has also been asked to issue guidelines on manufacturing, installation, maintenance, dismantling, and disposal of asbestos products such as roofing sheets and water pipelines.
The MoEFCC and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have been ordered to circulate the resulting policies, guidelines, and standard operating procedures to all relevant ministries, state chief secretaries, and pollution control boards across India for strict compliance.
Seventeen non-attainment cities in Uttar Pradesh, including seven million-plus cities and ten smaller ones, continue to face serious air pollution challenges, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has reported.
The information was presented in an action-taken report by the Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Uttar Pradesh, before the NGT on October 30, 2025.
City-specific Clean Air Action Plans for all 17 cities have been prepared by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), based on data and studies of pollution sources. These plans are being implemented by the respective urban local bodies in coordination with various departments, and are approved by the CPCB.
The tribunal was informed that revised city action plans based on Source Apportionment Studies for Agra, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Ghaziabad will be submitted to the CPCB within three months. Plans for the remaining 12 cities will follow upon receipt of study reports from the institutions concerned.
The NGT had earlier, on September 4, 2025, directed the environment departments of all states and union territories to expedite source apportionment studies and submit progress reports.
A report filed on October 16, 2025 by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Maharashtra, revealed that between 2010 and 2024, 1,65,582 trees were felled from non-forest areas without permission from the state’s forest department. Penalties have been recovered for these unauthorised fellings.
The report stated that trees may have been cut from farmlands outside the direct control of the forest department. The Maharashtra Tree Felling (Regulation) Act, 1964 regulates the cutting of certain tree species to ensure preservation.
While the forest department grants permission to fell silviculturally mature scheduled trees on farmlands, unauthorised felling attracts penalties for both owners and transporters.
The NGT had taken suo motu cognisance of a news article published in the newspaper The Hindu on May 18, 2024, titled Nearly 6 million trees disappeared from farmlands: Study. The report cited large-scale disappearance of mature farmland trees, particularly in Telangana and Maharashtra, with losses exceeding typical regional averages of 5-10 per cent.