New Delhi: The Supreme Court decided on Friday to schedule a PIL for hearing on November 10 in order to address the growing air pollution in Delhi and the national capital region. The PIL requested new regulations on stubble burning (NCR).
The arguments made by attorney Shashank Shekhar Jha, who filed the PIL in his own capacity, that the air pollution problem has gotten worse as a result of stubble burning in places close to Delhi, were noted by a bench consisting of Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi.
“Even normal people cannot walk in such a situation,” the lawyer said, adding that “Air Quality Index (AQI) level has risen due to stubble burning.”
“List it on November 10,” the CJI said.
Additionally, the petition called for government, business, and academic institutions to move toward become virtual or online.
The attorney claimed that the haze in Delhi NCR posed a grave threat to life and liberty and that the problem of pollution arises every year.
“The matter is of grave concern which requires immediate intervention of the court,” the petition said.
The petition requested the creation of a “high-level commission” to address the air pollution crisis brought on by stubble burning, with a retired Supreme Court judge serving as its chairman.
“Issue an order or guidelines to each and every state to take necessary measures in order to reduce the pollution including installation of smog-towers, plantation drive, affordable public transport, etc,” it further said.
The chief secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh were also instructed to personally assume responsibility for ensuring that no cases of stubble-burning occurred anywhere.
