Supreme Court: While hearing the MC Mehta batch of cases relating to environmental issues, the division bench of Justice SK Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia directed the Delhi Government to file an affidavit within two weeks disclosing the funds used for advertisements in the last three financial years.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Delhi government to contribute Rs 500 crore from the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) fund to the Regional Rapid Transit System (‘RRTS’) project being constructed, linking Delhi to Meerut.
The Delhi Government submitted that in 2020 there were no funds available with them. The position has worsened due to COVID. The GST compensation provided by the Centre has also been stopped since the last financial year. Thus, the Delhi Government refrained from releasing funds towards the Delhi-Meerut corridor.
Therefore, the Bench rebuked the Delhi Government for expressing its inability to contribute funds for construction of the RRTS project and directed it to furnish details of money spent on advertisements in the last three financial years.
Source: Press
