Does MoEF have any mechanism to enforce the standards set by it?
11 Jul, 2013Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) seeking details regarding the vehicles running on Indian roads during the last three years in respect of the in those. The Public Information Officer (PIO) provided the copies of some notifications issued by the Central Government relating to the noise limits of various types of vehicles.
Proceedings
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the appellant complained that the PIO had not provided any information regarding the actual noise levels of the vehicles of all makes. The respondent submitted that apart from the various notifications issued by the Ministry, there was no other record to show the standards nor there was any other record to show the actual noise levels of the vehicles manufactured and running in India.
View of CIC
The Commission observed that the Ministry has issued certain notifications fixing the noise levels of all kinds of vehicles and from these notifications, it was not very clear how these were proposed to be enforced and which would be the enforcing authority. The CIC held that the Ministry must be having the necessary information regarding the enforcement of these standards. The Commission directed the PIO to provide any available document and notification or guideline, laying down the details of the enforcement mechanism for regulating the standards laid down in the various notifications.
Citation: Mr. Akshay Kumar Malhotra v. Ministry of Environment and Forests in File No. CIC/SM/A/2013/000290
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/1438
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