Deaths caused due to pollution should be matter of concern for authorities: NGT Chairperson

New Delhi: National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel on Tuesday said that apart from the lives lost due to road accidents, deaths caused on account of pollution should be a matter of concern for authorities and road safety experts.

Speaking during the conference "Fast-tracking road safety through 5E's" organised by the India chapter of the International Road Federation (IRF) -- a global road safety body working for better and safer roads worldwide, he said that apart from air pollution, the sound of heavy vehicles, horns, and dust affect various parts of the human body which are not part of road safety.

On the question of the number of vehicles to be permitted proportionate to the capacity of the roads in a city is a vital issue of planning, on which a policy is required to be explored in the larger interest of the environment, especially for cities or areas where air quality is not consistent with the norms, he stressed.

Goel urged the government and road safety experts to add 'environment' as part of the road safety campaign, as vehicular traffic on roads adds to air pollution, affecting human health.

Travelling these days has become essential and demand for road infrastructure is increasing each day. The proportion of the capacity of roads in various states, including the national capital, does not match the number of vehicles resulting in traffic jams and an increase in air pollution which affects public health.

A total of 4,12,432 road accidents occurred in the 2021 calendar year which claimed 1,53,972 lives, while 3,84,448 people were injured, a new report released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said.

The report titled 'Road accidents in India -- 2021', said major indicators related to accidents have performed better in 2021 when compared to 2019.