Delhi Air Pollution: SC prompts air quality panel to decide on construction, industrial bans

The Supreme Court has handed over the authority of lifting bans on construction and industrial activities to the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Regions. Today, it will have a look at the performance report of the task force formed by the central government.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will have a look at the performance report of the task force formed by the central government during today's hearing on the Delhi-NCR pollution case.

In the case proceedings so far, the Supreme Court has handed over the authority of lifting bans on construction and industrial activities to the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Regions. "We direct Commission to examine requests of various industries & organisations about relaxation of conditions imposed by virtue of our orders or otherwise as per their circulars. We expect the commission will look into this in a weeks time", the Court ordered.

The three-judged bench comprising CJI NV Ramana and justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant are hearing the case. In its most recent developments, the SC said that in the report submitted by the flying squads, it has come forth that the industrial sector is the highest contributor to the pollution. It also said that the states that have not paid wages to construction workers have to file a compliance affidavit in the Supreme Court.

The Delhi government raised the issue of hospital constructions in the city and said that construction of 7 new hospitals was started, but work has stopped due to construction ban. It further said that 19 government hospitals in the national capital are under construction to provide better health infrastructure for the benefit of patients, and therefore requested the Supreme Court to exempt hospital construction work from restrictions.

Other intervention issues including sugar mill, paper mill, builders, rice manufacturers, etc. were raised by the counsels, to which the court clarified that a week's time will be given to the commission to examine the intervention applications. A slight improvement in the AQI was also acknowledged.

Earlier in the hearing on December 3, the Supreme Court had indicated that it would form an independent task force and had allotted a time span of 24 hours to the central and state governments to come up with a feasible and efficient solution to the problem. The court also reprimanded the Delhi government in the hearing, adopting a strict stance, saying that the Delhi government is just trying to get publicity and there seems no seriousness in their efforts.

The SC had also criticised both the central and state governments saying that although they claim to do a lot of work, in reality nothing seems to be happening. The bench had also registered its disappointment over the fact that some sections of the media were trying to portray the SC as the villains, while non-compliance by the states was worsening the conditions.

The proceedings over the case are ongoing while developments are awaited.