Delhi pollution: SC indicates setting up task force

Top court expresses concern over rising air pollution, threat from Covid-19 Omicron variant

The Supreme Court on Monday directed Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi governments to enforce the directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, as it expressed concern over the rising air pollution becoming severe and the looming threat of omicron variant of coronavirus hitting and indicated that it may set-up an independent task force to secure an “effective compliance” of the steps to curb and bring down the worsening air pollution which was AQI 419 on Monday morning.

As Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said: “There is another problem of virus, how do we deal with it?” Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said: “We can deal with virus separately.”

Summarising the Centre’s arguments that the commission, working from June onwards, has issued directions but states have either partly complied with it, or yet to comply and unless there was compliance nothing can be done, Chief Justice Ramana heading a special bench comprising Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant said: “We want to give an opportunity to the state governments to comply with the direction. They are directed to forthwith comply and

file reply before Wednesday evening.” The bench directed the listing of the matter for further hearing on December 2, 2021.

Chief Justice asked the solicitor general about the specific directions issued by the commission but not implemented by the states. On solicitor general

informing the court that we have asked the NCR states that the polluting industries to switch over to cleaner fuel, CJI asked: “Show us from the affidavit which states have not complied with it, we can ask them to comply and issue directions. What is the commission doing apart from simply forwarding

our orders to the states?”

Adverting to senior lawyer Vikas Singh’s submission that there was a construction ban in the national capital but Central Vista construction is on full swing right under the nose of the supreme court, contending that construction at Central Vista