The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal has slammed the state government for its “extremely slow pace” in bringing CNG to Calcutta and directed it take expeditious action.

The tribunal’s directive, passed on October 12, was available on its website on Wednesday.

“The learned counsel appearing for the state expresses inability on part of the state to fix any timeline… we are quite surprised that such a submission should come from the state,” the bench of Justice S.P. Wangdi and expert member Nagin Nanda said while hearing a petition filed by environment activist Subhas Datta.

“We further notice the extremely slow pace at which the state is proceeding in enabling GAIL (India) Ltd to complete its project.

“We accordingly once again direct the state to ensure that action is taken forward expeditiously to deal with the matter relating to re-routing of the pipeline and place before us an action plan with specific timeline in consultation with GAIL.”

GAIL, mandated to bring CNG to city via pipeline, has earlier complained to the tribunal that the state has been sitting on its request to make land available for laying the pipeline.

“The matter of bringing CNG to Calcutta has been lying since 2007-08 despite repeated judicial orders and two state governments completing their terms… and one is on the verge of doing so… clearly no one is bothered about the lungs of the people,” Datta said.

“Bringing CNG to the city is critical for reducing diesel vehicles… diesel emission is primarily responsible for pushing up the level of PM2.5, the most toxic pollutant, in the air,” Anumita Roy Choudhury, an air pollution expert associated with Delhi-based environment think-tank Centre for Science and Environment, said.