The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Centre to issue directions for the mandatory installation of smog towers in all major development projects, including the construction of the new Parliament building.
A Bench led by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar directed the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to make the setting up of smog towers of adequate capacity a compulsory condition while granting permission for development works, especially in cities with a bad track record of air quality.
“We call upon the MoEF to consider issuing similar general directions regarding installation of adequate capacity of smog tower[s] as an integral part in all future major development projects whilst granting development permissions, particularly in cities with bad track record of air quality — be it relating to government buildings, townships or other private projects of similar scale and magnitude, including to use smog guns during the construction activity of the project is in progress,” the court directed.
It directed the installation of smog guns and towers at the Parliament building construction site. It said they should be used throughout the construction phase.
The majority judgment by Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari upheld the environmental clearance accorded to the Parliament building project.
The dissenting opinion by Justice Sanjeev Khanna however set aside the order of the Expert Appraisal Committee of April 22, 2020 and the environment clearance given by the Ministry on June 17.
Justice Khanna ordered the Ministry to ask the EAC to re-consider the question of clearance within 30 days and pass a “speaking and reasoned order”.