Delhi-NCR Air Pollution: 'Toxic air comes from Pakistan', UP lawyer tells Supreme Court

UP lawyer Adv Ranjit Kumar told Supreme Court on Friday that the toxic air causing pollution in the national capital comes from Pakistan. His claim met a sharp response from the CJI, wherein he asked if the industries in Pakistan should be banned now.

New Delhi: In the Delhi Pollution case proceedings, the UP government told the Supreme Court on Friday that the polluted air responsible for the degradation of the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi is mostly coming from Pakistan. Advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing the UP government, further clarified that the air enters India from Pakistan and goes downwards towards Patna. In response to this statement, CJI NV Ramana asked him if the industries in other countries should be banned now to get control over the pollution in the national capital.

The Supreme Court further said that it has taken into consideration the contents of the submitted affidavit and will issue orders for the GOI and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) to implement the said measures. Meanwhile, the matter will be put on hold and will be taken up next Friday on December 10.

Additionally, in today's proceedings, the Delhi government sought permission for allowing the construction of hospitals in Delhi. Whereas Advocate Ranjit Kumar also raised concerns regarding the closing down of the sugarcane industries in Uttar Pradesh and said that the UP government might approach the committee for the same.

Media portraying court as villain

The Supreme Court bench slammed the media for portraying the court as a "villain" in the Delhi air pollution case. "We have learned one thing that one section of media portrays that we are the villains, we want the schools to close down. Some people started projecting that we are not for the welfare of the students," said CJI.

The court expressed its disappointment and said that there is freedom of the press with which the court cannot interfere and political party can hold press conferences but the judges can not do that.

Senior Advocate A.M. Singhvi appearing for Delhi agreed to the court's remarks and said, "An affidavit of 10-20 constructive points, which the court and center appreciates, is ignored by the media, and only one negative point is picked up and made into a headline."

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta quoted Mark Twain and said, "If you don't read newspapers you are uninformed, and if you read them you are ill-informed".

The top court said, "The Delhi government told the court that it has closed down all the schools and allowed work from home but in reality, nothing is implemented."

Court expresses concern over children aged 3-4 years

Court had also expressed concern over children of 3-4 years going to schools early at 6am in the pollution. After the hearing, the Delhi government had again closed down the schools. It also told the court that schools were open for a few days on parents' consent after it received learning loss complaints.

Earlier on Thursday, the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR had told the apex court that it has constituted a five-member enforcement task force to monitor the implementation of its directions to curb air pollution in Delhi. Additionally, the commission had also constituted 17 flying squads with preventive legislative powers.

The court was adjourned with directions to the Centre and the Delhi government to implement its orders of December 2 until the next hearing on December 10.