New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a fresh plea today, seeking ways to curb rising pollution in Delhi and the national capital region or NCR, which includes neighbouring Noida, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud considered the submission of lawyer RK Kapoor that rise in dust particles on roads, stubble burning in Delhi's neighbouring states like Haryana and Punjab have led to an alarming rise in pollution levels in the National Capital region and its adjoining areas.Read: Delhi smog crisis a long time coming
"We cannot ignore the pollution," the bench said adding that it will hear the plea today itself after finishing the matters listed on its board. The fresh plea seeks direction to the Centre and the states concerned to take measures on curbing road dust and stubble burning. It also seeks an effective implementation of the odd-even car rationing scheme, which the Delhi government scrapped after the National Green Tribunal asked for the removal of exemptions to two-wheelers, women and VIPs. Read: Delhi wakes up to foggy Monday, 69 trains delayed
Meanwhile, the National Green Tribunal slammed the Delhi government over a review petition on the Odd-Even scheme and asked whether the statement was just for media or the cabinet plans to move the applications.
NGT asked the Arvind Kejriwal government whether it was just the media that was updated about the review petition since nothing has been filed by them in the tribunal court as of yet. "Government approaching us or was it just minister's statement for the press?" asked the tribunal. The Delhi government, which was unhappy with the tribunal's direction of 'no exemption', called off the implementation of Odd-Even rule, which was supposed to be starting from Monday, and said that they will approach the green body against seeking the expectations should stay. "In light of the two conditions by NGT on two-wheelers and women, at the moment we are calling it off. We will go back to NGT on Monday, file a review petition for them to reconsider their decision regarding the two," Kailash Gehlot, Delhi's Transport Minister, told the media. The NGT has agreed to the government's scheme after it directed that only emergency services will be exempted from it during a hearing on Saturday.
