Supreme Court bans construction works in Delhi and NCR

New Delhi . The Supreme Court has again banned construction works in the national capital Delhi and NCR in view of air pollution. The court has given exemption on electrical, carpentry, interior work and plumbing works. A bench of Chief Justice NV Raman, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant gave this verdict. He has asked the Central Government, State Government and Air Quality Management Commission to take necessary steps. The next hearing of the case will be on November 29. However, after a slight improvement in the air quality in Delhi and NCR from November 22, the Air Quality Management Commission lifted the earlier ban.

Earlier, the apex court had termed the dire situation of air pollution in Delhi-NCR as “horrific”. Along with this, all activities of construction and demolition and burning of garbage was banned in the area. The court had said that people cannot be left to die in a ‘situation worse than an emergency’. The court also said that despite its order, a fine of one lakh rupees should be imposed on those who do construction work and demolition activities. On behalf of the Air Quality Management Commission, set up to monitor air pollution in NCR, instructions were given to all the cities of NCR to take effective steps to prevent pollution.

The court has said that the Air Quality Management Commission should do a study on the issues like how the weather will be in the coming days in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, will it affect the air, etc. The commission should conduct a scientific study of air quality on the basis of the available data of previous years on the recorded levels of air pollution.

In the last hearing in the matter of increasing pollution in Delhi NCR, the Supreme Court had expressed concern over the situation in Delhi. Chief Justice Justice NV Ramana had said that even in the house, a situation like applying masks has been created. The court had asked the central government and the Delhi government what immediate and far-reaching steps the government was taking to reduce pollution. At the same time, in view of the deteriorating air in Delhi NCR, an emergency meeting of the Air Quality Management Commission was held. In the meeting, the states and concerned agencies have been asked to be fully prepared to take emergency steps as mentioned in the Graded Response Action Plan. Five main reasons causing pollution have also been identified, so that it can be controlled.