Delhi recorded ‘very poor’ air quality on Wednesday morning as the air quality index (AQI) settled at 389 from the previous afternoon’s ‘severe’ mark of 403. There will likely be no major respite until Sunday, according to the India Meteorological Department, even as the Delhi government announced several measures to curb toxic pollution in the national capital and the Supreme Court lashed out at the bureaucracy for its inaction.
‘Apathy and just apathy’
Hearing a plea related to air pollution, the apex court observed that the bureaucracy has developed “inertia” and does not want to take any decision.
“It is apathy and just apathy,” said a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana and also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant.
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“Over a period of time what I am observing, as a judge and an Advocate General also that the bureaucracy, completely, I think has developed some sort of inertia. They don’t want to take a decision. How to stop a car, seize a vehicle, how to stop a fire has to be done by this court. Everything we have to do. This is an attitude developed by the Executive,” the bench said.
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‘TV debates creating more pollution’
The Supreme Court also took at a dig at sections of the media, saying debates on TV news channels were causing more pollution than anybody with statements made in the court being taken out of context.
Bans and closures
Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai said schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain shut till further orders and the ban on construction and demolition activities has been extended till November 21.
The Delhi government has also decided to extend work-from-home for its employees till Sunday.
The Delhi government will hire 1,000 private CNG buses to strengthen the public transport system. Entry of trucks carrying non-essential items has also been banned.
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Rai said the Delhi Metro and the Delhi Transport Corporation have written to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority to allow people to travel in metro trains and public vehicles standing.
The Transport Department has provided a list of diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 years and 15 years, respectively, to the traffic police to stop them from plying on roads.
The traffic police have been directed to create a special task force to monitor congestion. The drive to check pollution-under-control certificates will be intensified, the minister said.
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“Machines of the fire brigade will sprinkle water at 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi in addition to the 372 tankers already deployed in the city for this purpose,” he said.
The measures are in line with the directions of Commission for Air Quality Management late on Tuesday night, which had also ordered that only five of the 11 thermal power plants within a 300 km radius of Delhi will remain operational till November 30.
(With PTI inputs)
