SC sets deadline for ban on pet coke import

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Centre to take a decision by June 30 on the issue of banning the import of pet coke in the country.

The top court also asked the government to consider implementing the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in Delhi first as the people were "struggling" due to pollution in the national capital. NCAP is aimed at tackling air pollution problem in 100 cities across the country.

"We are struggling in Delhi for years due to pollution. You implement the NCAP here at least," a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta told Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The court was hearing a matter related to a PIL filed in 1985 by environmentalist M C Mehta on air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region.

Nadkarni told the bench that the comprehensive action plan to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR would be notified in its entirety within four weeks.

He told the bench that parts of the comprehensive action plan have already been implemented in the Delhi-NCR.