NEW DELHI: Explaining the steps taken by state in curbing pollution in the capital, senior advocate
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi government said hearings on this should happen every year in October instead of firefighting at the last moment.
Singhvi also sought to highlight that the court must also address the issue of stubble burning which is the chief contributor of rising levels of pollution in the months of October and November. Singhvi also said that 90 per cent of the measures, mandated by the commission on Tuesday, have already been in place in the national capital.
At this point, the bench emphasised on the need to have adequate number of mechanised machines for road cleaning in the city to tackle the dust which is a major source of pollution. Singhvi said that the Delhi government has spoken to the municipal corporations about their requirements and the government shall provide complete financial assistance for whatever number of machines are required.
The court suggested that the Delhi government should augment its fleet of CNG buses and should encourage its employees to use public transport. About removing old vehicles from the road, the bench said that the exercise of identifying old vehicles will take long and that the city government should instead take some urgent measures to bring down the number of vehicles plying in the city.
Singhvi maintained that such an exercise can be successful only if vehicles are stopped in the entire NCR.
Haryana’s additional advocate general Anil Grover was also asked by the court about curtailing the number of vehicles on roads, suggesting that some inspection and enforcement measures must be taken to bring down unnecessary and casual traffic in Delhi’s adjoining districts of Gurugram, Faridabad and Jhajjar.
“We want you to take steps within a day or two. Why don’t you stop unnecessary travel?,” the bench told Grover, who further informed the bench that work-from-home orders have also been issued for the areas falling in the NCR, and the schools are shut.
While the counsel for UP said that they are complying with the directions issued by the commission, Punjab government’s counsel pointed out that the state does not have any district in the NCR and that its submissions confined to the issue of stubble burning.