Air Pollution would not be where it is today if our orders were followed, Delhi HC

Pulling up the Delhi Government Departments and other concerned authorities over the dangerous level of air pollution in the city, the Delhi High Court today remarked that if its previous orders were followed, the pollution in Delhi would not be where it is today..The Court added,.” The problem lies in implementation and not lack of ideas. There is a complete lack of will to implement the same..”.The Court thus stated that all the stakeholders including the citizens, have to undertake a proactive role in case we have to make Delhi pollution-free..The observations form part of an order passed by a Division Bench of Justices GS Sistani and Anup Jairam Bhambhani while hearing a suo moto petition concerning air pollution in Delhi..The petition was heard for the first time in early 2015. Since then, the Court has been passing several orders to contain air pollution level in the city.Referring to a CAG Report for a time period of 2014-2017, Amicus Curiae in case, Senior Advocate Kailash Vasudev today informed the Court that the Forest Department has failed to meet its afforestation targets..The Court thus directed the Chief Conservator of Forests, Delhi Government to appear before it on the next date of hearing and apprise the Court of the extent of plantation carried out from January 2018 till December 2018. The Forest Department is also expected to state its plan to increase forest cover and reduce encroachment in Delhi..To further address concerns of rising pollution levels due to dust, the Court suggested that during the months of October till January, no fresh demolition of infrastructure should be permitted. The Court has also asked the authorities concerned to take steps to ensure that building material (malba) is not left uncovered and must be removed from sprinkling water on it..To tackle concerns of streamlining the traffic, the Court has asked the New Delhi Municipal Corporation and other Municipal Corporations in the city as well the other authorities concerned to take necessary steps to deal with encroachment on the roads..This exercise has to be done in a routine and regular manner and not on days before the Court hearing, it said..It also directed that the Senior Officers should not only issue Circulars for implementation of the orders but also undertake an inspection to ensure the same. Stating that all the respective Standing Counsel are expected to be present in Court on the next date of hearing, the Court directed the authorities concerned to file their affidavits detailing how they intended to implement the directions throughout the year..The Court today also clarified that the matter would not be heard every two weeks in order to ensure that small steps are taken to curb the menace of pollution in the city..The matter would be heard next on December 2.