Commission on air quality management is functional, has taken various steps: Centre to SC

The Central government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the commission on air quality management in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas is now functional and

The Central government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the commission on air quality management in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas is now functional and has also taken various steps to improve the air quality.

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Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, however, sought some time from the SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, to bring these developments on record by way of an affidavit of the Centre.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who represented teenager petitioner Aditya Dubey in the case, had questioned the efficacy of the ordinance on the air quality management, asking what has the commission done so far.

Responding to this, Bhati said that the air quality is better in the Delhi-NCR recently, and that pollution due to stubble burning has also come down after December 3.

Bhati, however, said she will need at least two days to file her affidavit so as to apprise the court of steps taken by the commission.

The bench allowed this request and deferred the matter for a hearing later this week.

Dubey, a minor, has filed a PIL in the court, alleging authorities have failed to protect his fundamental right to clean air and health by not controlling air pollution.

Days after the top court set up a committee headed by its former judge Madan B Lokur to suggest measures to contain the menace, the government issued an ordinance that superceded all the judicial and other committees set up on the issue of air pollution in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas.

The ordinance empowers the agency to make rules, set emission standards, and slap fines of up to Rs1 crore or imprison violators for up to five years.

The committee set up under the ordinance is headed by former Delhi chief secretary MM Kutty, besides Secretary Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and five other Secretary/Chief Secretary level officials as its ex-officio members.

The commission has exclusive jurisdiction over the NCR, including areas in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, in matters of air pollution.