NGT directs Aviation Ministry to provide information on flights at IGI Airport

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Ministry of Civil Aviation and aviation regulator DGCA to provide data on domestic and international flights at IGI Airport with details of their departure and arrivals.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also directed the government to file note on the mitigating steps taken by it to notify noise-level standards for airport noise zones within two weeks.

“Statement be filed in relation to the extent of domestic and international flights with the details of departure and arrivals and the statement shall also consist of measurement of noise level at the recipient end. In other areas, the decibel level be shown at the time of taking off and landing of aircraft, for both, day and night. What is their noise level in the residential area during the day and night times? It must state as to what are the contributing factors of noise in the surrounding area of the airport,” the bench said.

The matter is now listed for hearing on August 22. 

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the Ministry informed the bench that it was taking requisite steps to reduce noise level in the residential areas near the airport. Taking the government to task over lack of norms on noise pollution in residential areas near airports across the country, the NGT had earlier asked “Why should there not be night flying restrictions at airports?”

It had also directed the government to file a short note on the steps taken by it to notify noise-level standards for airport noise zones and asked Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to give a break-up of flights landing between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM at the IGI airport.

The green panel was hearing a bunch of pleas filed by the residents of South Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, Bijwasan and Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), a super-specialty hospital located near the airport.