Supreme Court: The bench Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta, JJ has allowed construction activity in the Delhi-NCR region between 6 am and 6 pm, partially lifting its complete ban on it. The said order of the Court came after Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni informed it that the Centre has constituted a high-level committee following the apex court’s direction to examine the feasibility of using technology like smog towers to combat air pollution.
The bench also directed the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana to furnish before it the updated report on stubble burning up to December 11.
The court had on November 25 directed the Centre to constitute a high-level committee within three days to consider and work out modalities regarding other technologies to help combat pollution, and said that a report be filed before it within three weeks on this issue. The various direction that the Court had earlier issued are as follows:
- It had asked the Delhi government to apprise it of the steps taken with regard to anti-smog gun which sprays atomized water 50 metres in the air to bring down pollutants and had said CPCB should be associated on the issue of anti-smog guns.
- The court had asked all the states to explain within six weeks as to why they should not be made liable to pay compensation to persons affected by bad air quality saying it is their bounden duty to provide basic civic amenities, clean air and drinking water to citizens.
- The court had asked the Centre and the Delhi government to sit together and take decision within 10 days with regard to installation of smog towers in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) which would help in combating air pollution.
The Court had said that “the right to life of human is being endangered” by the bad air quality and water pollution and the states have to deal with the situation as “life span is being shortened”. The Court also took exception that states and Centre were indulging in “blame game” over crucial issue of air and water pollution and asked them to work in tandem for welfare of the people. It said despite various orders being passed by the top court from time to time in the pollution matter, the situation has worsened over the years and authorities have to be blamed as they have not performed their duties.
Terming the situation of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as “alarming”, the Court noticed that despite its order prohibiting it, burning of crop residues in these states have increased. It, hence, pulled up the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for their failure to prevent instance of stubble burning despite the Court’s order. It said,
“Only policy making to deal with pollution is not required, the real issue needed was implementation at the ground level.”
The bench is due to take up the pollution related matters on December 16.
(Source: PTI)