The Supreme Court on Monday gave a 48-hour ultimatum to Delhi, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan and Punjab to execute directions of the Commission on Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region with immediate effect. A bench of a Chief justice and other justices stated that the Commission comprising of officials from the five states and the Centre had already directed the states to take strict actions to control the rising pollution in September but the directions were partly complied with or not complied with and no actions were being done on ground levels.

The SC has asked the states to specify within 48 hours what measures they have taken to implement all the directions issued by the court, the commission and the Union government and hold a hearing on Thursday. It has further asked the states to file affidavits by Wednesday evening. Justice SG Tushar Mehta said that industries near NCR were causing maximum pollution and in August the Commission had directed Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to ensure that industries operating in NCR districts be shifted to PNG/cleaner fuels but still nothing was done by any of the states. He added that the states have not complied with the Commission’s direction to switch industries to cleaner fuel that still has a gas supply available to them.

The SC further questioned the states on the steps being taken to implement its direction on the ban of different pollution causing machineries and vehicles, management of dust and particulate matter in construction and demolition sites and registration of construction projects on the Web Portals for remote monitoring for the compliance of rules related to C&D activities by the project proponents.

Source: ET Healthworld