The Delhi High Court on Friday sought a response from the city government on a petition claiming non-compliance with the Lieutenant-Governor’s order banning construction activities till Sunday to bring down air pollution in the Capital.
A Vacation Bench of Justices Sangita Dhinghra Sehgal and C. Hari Shankar, which sat around 8.15 p.m. to hear the case, questioned the urgency behind the petition.
“What is the urgency? Why is it so threatening,” the Bench asked the petitioners, who are students of a college here. The Bench also remarked that this was a “larger issue” and a division Bench of the High Court was already seized of a petition on curbing air pollution.
The counsel for the students submitted photos of Patiala House Courts, where construction activity was going on despite the Lieutenant-Governor’s order.
When the Bench asked for a copy of the L-G’s order, the counsel for the petitioner said he did not have it. “We cannot take the matter further without the L-G’s order,” remarked the Bench.
‘Man-made phenomenon’
During the brief hearing, advocate Naushad Ahmed Khan, appearing for the Delhi government, said pursuant to the L-G’s order, construction activities were banned immediately across the city. Mr. Khan contended that the dust storm which engulfed the city recently was a natural phenomenon and not man-made.
He said the government was making all efforts to bring down air pollution.
Earlier this week, Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal had ordered that all civil construction activities be stopped across Delhi as part of emergency measures to bring down severe dust pollution levels.
The plea also sought directions to the government to use more environment-friendly ways, such as vacuum cleaners to suck dust from the road. It also sought a ban on the use of coal-based tandoors till the time the pollution situation does not become normal.