By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over the poor air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre, the AAP government and Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana about remedial steps that can be taken to curb the rising pollution. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra issued notice to the Centre and the state governments and sought their responses to a PIL which has sought emergent steps to improve the air quality in the region, especially in the national capital.
The bench made it clear that the proceedings on the other pleas relating to air pollution, before any court or forum, would not be put on hold. The apex court said it will deal with the issue to find a long-term solution the problem of air pollution and has claimed that the rise in dust particles on roads, stubble burning in Delhi’s neighbouring states have led to an alarming rise in the pollution levels in NCR and its adjoining areas.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government also moved the National Green Tribunal seeking modification of its November 11 order refusing to exempt women and two wheelers from the odd-even car rationing scheme to tackle pollution. The application sought exemption of women drivers from the scheme, saying it may affect the safety and security of women for one year till the government procured 2,000 buses for public transport.
The application is likely to come up for hearing on Tuesday.
“In case, the women drivers are not included in the exempted list, there may be a likelihood that such women passengers do not find themselves comfortable while travelling in heavily crowded public transport buses. The crowding in public transport buses may deter the women passengers in using the bus mode because of safety and security reasons and therefore, the purpose of the scheme will be defeated,” it said.
A question for Kejriwal
Hitting out at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar asked the AAP convenor what steps he has taken to end stubble-burning by farmers as air pollution peaked to alarming levels.
