Implement orders of panel on air quality management to curb pollution, SC tells Centre, NCR states

The Supreme Court on Friday approved the decision by the 'Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi and Adjoining States' to set up an Enforcement Task Force and flying squads to ensure compliance of its orders to curb air pollution here.

A bench presided over by Chief Justice N V Ramana asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to implement court's directions.

The court noted the Commission's submission that a five-member task force has been set up and the number of flying squads would be enhanced from 17 to 40.

After going through measures announced by the Commission, including limited running of thermal power plants, the court also asked the Union government to consider shifting of those plants from the National Capital Region in the long run.

Read more: Delhi air pollution: Flying squads formed to check violations, Centre tells Supreme Court

Uttar Pradesh counsel, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar objected to new directions for allowing industries to run for eight hours a day, saying it would affect sugar mills and boilers. He said the Uttar Pradesh was already on down wind and the air to Delhi came from Pakistan.

The court, however, asked him to make a representation to the Commission with his plea.

At the outset, the bench objected to media reports for projecting the court as "villains" for closing schools in Delhi.

The court said it never asked the Delhi government to shut schools, but rather only asked for reasons behind the change in their stand on reopening schools.

"We do not know whether it is intentional or not. Some sections in the media tried to project, we are villains... we want closure of schools," the bench said.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, also complained that one newspaper suggested "your lordships wanted to take over the administration".

To this, the bench said that it never used that expression. Singhvi said we also aggrieved with it.

"You've right and freedom to clarify and condemn. We can't do that. Where did we say we were interested in taking over administration," the bench told him.

Singhvi, for his part, replied that court reporting is different from political reporting and there should be some responsibility.

"After video hearing, there's no control. Who's reporting what, you don't know," the bench said.

On Thursday, the top court told the Delhi government, "You have implemented work from home for adults. So, parents work from home and children have to go to school. What's this?"

During the hearing, Singhvi said schools in Delhi were closed for 17 months, and those were opened only for 15 to 16 days after taking consent from parents.

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