The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the central government to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to take necessary steps like stopping non-essential construction transport, power plants and implementing work from home to tackle the rising air pollution situation in the Delhi-NCR region. A special bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant has directed the concerned Chief Secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab and Delhi to attend the meeting and make their submissions before the committee formed by it.
Ahead of the hearing, the Arvind Kejriwal-led government has told the apex court that it was ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control deterioration of air quality. The Delhi government also mentioned that such a step, however, would be meaningful if it is implemented across the NCR areas in neighbouring states.
An affidavit submitted by senior advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi government, in the Supreme Court reads, “GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi) is ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control the local emissions. However, such a step would be meaningful if it is implemented across the NCR areas in neighbouring states. Given Delhi’s compact size, a lockdown would have limited impact on the air quality regime.”
“This issue would need to be addressed at the level of airshed involving NCR areas. In view of the above, we are ready to consider this step if the same is mandated for the entire NCR areas by the government of India or by the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and adjoining areas,” it added. The affidavit was submitted in response to a plea filed by environmental activist Aditya Dubey and law student Aman Banka, who sought directions to provide stubble-removing machines to small and marginal farmers for free.
Meanwhile, the Centre told the apex court that only 10 per cent of the pollution in Delhi is due to stubble burning in the neighbouring states. At least 74 per cent pollution caused due to industries, dust and vehicles in the city, the Centre said.
After hearing from all sides, the SC bench said, “The affidavit filed by respondents and after hearing we come to the conclusion the major culprits of pollution are construction activity, industry, transport, power and vehicular traffic apart from stubble burning in some parts. Even though some decisions were taken by the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act has not indicated precisely what steps they are going to take to control factors that are causing air pollution.”
“In view of that, we direct the Government of India to a call for an emergency meeting tomorrow and discuss the areas which we indicated and what orders they can pass to effectively control air pollution. So far, as stubble burning is concerned, broadly affidavits state that their contribution is not so much except for two months. However, at present a good amount of stubble burning is taking place in Haryana and Punjab,” the bench said.
The top court also asked the state governments of Punjab and Haryana to pursue the farmers for two weeks not to do stubble burning. “We direct the government of India, NCR states to examine introducing work from home for employees,” the bench said.
(with inputs from PTI)
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