Delhi Air Pollution Highlights- "Want Dust Control, Not Reports": On Pollution, Supreme Court Slams Delhi

The Supreme Court is hearing a case related to construction in the Delhi-NCR region which was banned by the top court in view of the deteriorating air quality. 

The Central government on Tuesday has apprised the Supreme Court that the Central Vista development project and the construction work for the new Parliament building are projects of "national importance" and they are complying with every condition to ensure that pollution is not caused.

It said all construction activities in Delhi by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) have been halted in compliance with the directions of the top court to curb air pollution, except the Central Vista redevelopment which is a project of national importance.

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said that the construction activities at the Central Vista site are compliant with the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules.

The air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the ''very poor'' category this morning, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi on Thursday morning was recorded at 312.

Here are the Highlights on Delhi Air Pollution Supreme Court Hearing:

Dec 02, 2021

12:05 (IST)

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Dec 02, 2021

11:45 (IST)

CJI NV Ramana: We will take up tomorrow morning. We will come at 10am tomorrow and hear this matter for half an hour.

Mr Singhvi you get instructions on what Delhi Govt is doing on schools and offices

Abhishek Manu Singhvi requests bench for construction of new Covid hospitals to continue

CJI NV Ramana: Emergency construction we will consider. That is not the issue before us. We are serious abt industrial and vehicular pollution as those are main causes

Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Delhi: On schools there is a lot of debate on "learning loss". We reopened with condition including option for online.

CJI NV Ramana: You are saying you left it optional. But who wants to sit at home? We also have children and grandchildren. We know the problems they have been facing since pandemic. If you don't take action we will take strict action tomorrow. We are giving you 24 hours.

Dec 02, 2021

11:39 (IST)

CJI NV Ramana: We can't enforce or infuse creativity to your bureaucracy. They have to think of measures themselves.

Vikas Singh for petitioner: Delhi needs stricter norms. Because its land-locked. There would have been different measures for a city like Kochi.

SG Tushar Mehta: That is a constructive suggestion

Vikas Singh for petitioner: Please order a taskforce today that looks at enforcement at least for next 15 days. It ensures that AQI norms for Delhi are being followed.

Dec 02, 2021

11:35 (IST)

Lawyer for UP Govt: There are powers for closure

SG Tushar Mehta: Yes there are

Justice DY Chandrachud: But have you closed down

SG Tushar Mehta: I will respond tom or on Monday

CJI NV Ramana: We are not commenting on anybody's functioning . But in an emergency you have to work actively and with creativity. If someone is suffering from fever and temperature keeps going up?

SG Tushar Mehta: that shows medicine is not working

CJI NV Ramana: We have to tell the Bureaucracy every time what is to be done? What is the point of a 20-30 members committee

Dec 02, 2021

11:34 (IST)

SG Tushar Mehta: Thousands of non-essential vehicles have been diverted from entering Delhi from Delhi.

Justice DY Chandrachud: What about other entry points?

Vikas Singh for petitioner: No check from vehicles coming from Delhi

CJI NV Ramana: We are unable to contribute anything to control pollution. Now let us come to committee you formed.(refers to CAQM) So many  members. The Commission has so many representatives from different Ministries.

Justice DY Chandrachud: But problem is that your committee has no power of enforcement. No power of real prosecution.

SG Tushar Mehta: May I respond tomorrow on that.

SG Tushar Mehta: There needs to be reworking of power structure. Let me respond to that tomorrow or on Monday. Action should be both preventive and deterrent.

Dec 02, 2021

11:27 (IST)

Justice DY Chandrachud: You set up CAQM. Tell us acc to the Commission today which is the main source of pollution. You have the science and the data.

Vikas Singh for petitioner: Where is the pollution coming from? Judges have asked a pertinent question. SG says I have an agenda. What non-sense is he saying.

SG Tushar Mehta objects to Vikas Singh yelling in Court: Mr Vikas Singh must remember that he is not standing on the street.

SG Tushar Mehta: Industrial pollution and vehicular pollution are main causes

Justice DY Chandrachud: Then you tell us solution for that

SG Tushar Mehta: Industries are closed

Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Delhi Govt: I don't think there is an agreement on the causes of pollution. We can get a report from one of the IITs on that issue.

SG Tushar Mehta: Starts reading out the no of industrial sites that have been closed in adjoining states. Delhi has no industrial units.

Justice DY Chandrachud: Any check on non-compliant vehicles entering the city of Delhi? What steps taken on ground?

SG Tushar Mehta: Wherever they can be impounded they have been. But we don't have that power

Justice DY Chandrachud: But you can stop entry?

SG Tushar Mehta: there is an entry ban

Dec 02, 2021

11:24 (IST)

CJI NV Ramana: You said you created taskforce. How many taskforce from Delhi Govt side and how many from Centre's side. Everyone has their own taskforce?

Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Delhi: No there is only one GRAP. No separate taskforce. We also don't want multiplicity

SG Tushar Mehta: We have one taskforce which is being monitored by CAQM .  It has members of CPCB and other organizations.

CJI NV Ramana: We feel that nothing is happening and pollution keeps increasing. Only time being wasted

Justice DY Chandrachud points raises questions on the number of sites being closed for violations of pollution norms

SG Tushar Mehta: You can monitor our taskforce if you want

Justice Surya Kant: Centre and Haryana's affidavit states the amount of money recovered from imposing fines. How are we concerned with that? 

CJI NV Ramana: We want to know how many industrial sites have been acted upon?

CJI NV Ramana: When hearings on the issue started there was certain AQI. If as many efforts as you are claiming have been made then why is pollution increasing? That is the simple question layman will ask. So many arguments by lawyers and so many govt claims. But why is pollution increasing?

Dec 02, 2021

11:15 (IST)

Justice Surya Kant to Delhi Govt: Nothing has been followed. while we came to court there are people sitting in the middle of the road with banners of save environment. That's why we say only popularity slogans

Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Delhi Govt: They are Civil volunteers deployed by Delhi Govt

Dec 02, 2021

11:14 (IST)

Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Delhi Govt: Reads out measures taken by Delhi Govt to control industrial pollution, vehicular pollution and dust

We are also checking norms regarding dust control around Central Vista

We are issuing challans

Justice Surya Kant: We want actual dust control. Not just reports.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Delhi Govt: Yesterday even a Minister was checking dust at Central Vista. We have the will and we are taking action

Dec 02, 2021

11:13 (IST)

CJI NV Ramana: Who is appearing for Delhi? Mr Singhvi we took your statements seriously. You made several claims. You said you have closed schools. But all schools are not closed. There are 3 year olds and 4 year olds who are going to school.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Delhi Govt: We will check. Schools are closed.

CJI NV Ramana: We will appoint somebody to adminsiter your Govt! Elders working from home. But children are going to school.

Justice Surya Kant: You all must have seen while coming to Court. There are young boys standing with banners at traffic lights (referring to the Delhi Govt volunteers who stand with banners of Red Light on Engine off)

Dec 02, 2021

11:09 (IST)

Vikas Singh for Petitioner: We had never asked for a ban. But the rules that are in place need to be implemented. Central Vista cannot be at the cost of public health. Lot of dust around India Gate. Ultimately bans will not work. We need flying squads for inspections. Rules are being flouted. Builders say they are ready to comply with norms. But we need inspection teams.

Vikas Singh for Petitioner: Stubble is not an issue now. But it will be again next year. Need rules for that. We need flying squads to check for BS-VI compliance in cars.

Today AQI is 500. Somebody is flouting rules. Water sprinkling on roads needed strictly. Dust control needed.

Dec 02, 2021

11:08 (IST)

Bench of CJI NV Ramana, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant

-In last hearing Supreme Court had sought Centre's response on how Central Vista construction work was continuing despite ban on such activities

-Centre in its affidavit filed yesterday informed Supreme Court that Central Vista is a project of national importance 

-The Supreme Court had also directed the Governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab to file affidavits showing their compliance with the directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas.

Dec 02, 2021

11:08 (IST)

Delhi-NCR pollution hearing begins

Dec 02, 2021

11:07 (IST)

1. The Central government on Tuesday has apprised the Supreme Court that the Central Vista development project and the construction work for the new Parliament building are projects of "national importance" and they are complying with every condition to ensure that pollution is not caused.
2. It said all construction activities in Delhi by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) have been halted in compliance with the directions of the top court to curb air pollution, except the Central Vista redevelopment which is a project of national importance.
3. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said that the construction activities at the Central Vista site are compliant with the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules.
4. "So far as the Parliamentary building and the Central Vista avenue site is concerned, it complies with Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules and each and every condition which is put to ensure that it does not cause any pollution," affidavit stated.

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