The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday lashed out at Delhi government for showing 'laxity' while dealing with alarming situation of air pollution and smog in the city.


Questioning the government's decision to sprinkle water using cranes, the NGT asked why helicopters were not being used to do the same.


Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently announced a number of steps to curb pollution in the city.he government had announced closing of schools for three days from Monday, a halt on construction activities for five days and sprinkling of water to settle the dust particles.


The NGT, however, questioned the Delhi government's initiative and asked about the major steps it had taken to bring down the pollution levels.


"Diwali and crop burning are known factors, did you hold any meeting in August and September to prepare the state to tackle pollution?" the NGT bench asked the government.


The NGT also asked whether the government had any data to show reduction in smog, reported news agency ANI. The green tribunal also slammed the Punjab and Haryana governments over measures taken to control crop burning which is causing pollution in nearby areas.


"If you had provided even Rs 1,000 to the farmers, they would not have burnt the agriculture waste like this," it said.Delhi and NCR are reeling under severe pollution levels and are covered under thick smog since last one week. There was a sudden increase in level of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the air after Diwali celebrations on October 31. Delhi environment minister Satyendra Jain said on Tuesday that 80 per cent of the city's pollution was caused because of incessant crop burning in nearby states of Punjab and Haryana.