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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday took note of the marginal improvement in air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR and allowed the Air Quality Management Commission to take a decision on various representations seeking relaxation of restrictions such as restrictions on construction activities within a week. .
A special bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant asked Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to comply with its earlier order, by which it allowed the states of the National Capital Territory to recover the cess collected by them from construction workers. was asked to pay the minimum wage. from real estate firms, as their work was affected due to the ban.
The Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh governments will have to file compliance affidavits on the issue related to payment of money to construction workers, it said.
“We direct the Commission (Air Quality Management Commission in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas) to examine the requests of various industries and organizations regarding relaxation of conditions imposed on the basis of our orders or otherwise as per their circulars . We are hopeful that the commission will look into it within a week.
The bench decided to dispose of several intervention petitions filed by builders’ bodies, sugar, rice and paper mills against certain restrictions imposed by the commission and the apex court, among others, and asked the panel to decide on these issues.
The bench initially said that there has now been a “slight improvement in the air quality” and the commission may be allowed to decide on the issues related to the restrictions.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh submitted that things have now improved since the critical period is over and sought quashing of an earlier order by which the ban on construction activities was re-imposed.
We will not consider these intervention applications. The bench said that all these applications will be considered by the Commission (Air Quality) and relaxation will be considered in consultation with the states.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Center and the Commission, said that several long-term measures are being considered to tackle the issue of air pollution.
Senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, submitted that the apex court had allowed construction activities in seven hospitals and urged the bench to allow construction activities in other hospitals as well.
We cannot all get into individual matters. I regret to say that if all the states and the Center take steps to control pollution, we will not consider it, the CJI said and asked the Delhi government to approach the commission.
On December 3, the bench had directed the Center and NCR states to implement the panel’s order to curb pollution and to switch to PNG or cleaner fuels in a time bound manner or face closure. An offer was sought.
The bench had also expressed regret that some news reports “tried to portray the court as a “villain” who wanted to shut down schools in Delhi-NCR.
It had taken note of the Commission’s proposal that industrial operations in NCR, where gas is not available and the industrial unit is not running on PNG or cleaner fuel, would be allowed to operate for only eight hours on weekdays and it remained Will stay Closed during Saturday and Sunday.
It was ordered that all industrial units should be proposed to switch to PNG or clean fuel in a time bound manner, failing which such units should be closed, this should also be kept on record.
The commission had said that a 5-member enforcement task force has been constituted to check air pollution in Delhi and NCR and 40 squads will monitor the implementation of measures suggested by it to tackle pollution.
The panel had also said that 17 flying squads have been constituted to ensure implementation of various measures mandated by the court, which will be increased to 40 within 24 hours.
It said the ban on entry of trucks, except those carrying essential goods and those running on clean fuel, would continue.
The bench is passing the order on Aditya Dubey’s plea seeking immediate steps to improve the air quality in Delhi-NCR.
Read also: 5 states did not comply with air quality panel’s order to curb pollution – government’s report to SC
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