The Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR submitted an affidavit before the Supreme Court on Friday, stating that it has formed an enforcement task force to check compliance with its air pollution control orders.
In the exercise of its legislative authority, the Commission established a five-member Enforcement Task Force, as well as 17 flying squads to prosecute offenders. The Supreme Court expressed worry on Thursday over worsening air pollution in Delhi-NCR and gave the Centre and the Delhi government a 24-hour deadline to come up with a comprehensive strategy for implementing pollution control measures.
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The Centre and the Delhi government were directed to “have a careful look at the problem and come up with a remedy” by a bench. It further stated that various directives given by the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjacent Areas are not being carried out on the ground, and that in an emergency scenario, you must act quickly. “What is the Commission doing?”
What is the purpose of the committee of 20–30 members? Another financial load on the state budget. If we don’t do anything remarkable, it won’t work. “We can’t infuse originality into your bureaucracy,” the Supreme Court warned the Centre’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
“He will communicate to the highest authorities,” the Solicitor General stated after requesting one more day to reply to the Bench’s concerns. The Bench responded by saying, “We demand a serious actual action from Mr. Mehta, and if you don’t do it by tomorrow, we will. “We are giving you 24 hours,” they say, “but we believe nothing is occurring since pollution levels are rising.” We believe we are squandering our time. Why is pollution rising if the court, government, and everyone is doing so much?
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The top court also chastised the Delhi government for opening schools amid growing pollution levels in the city, asking why children are being forced to attend school when the government has introduced work from home for adults. The hearing in the Supreme Court on the petition for emergency measures to regulate the deteriorating air quality in the nation’s capital will continue today.
