Delhi Air Pollution case [LIVE UPDATES from Supreme Court]

A special bench of the Supreme Court will continue hearing the petition by 17-year-old Delhi student Aditya Dubey concerning rising levels of air pollution in Delhi.During the hearing yesterday, the Court had pulled up the Central and State governments for not implementing pollution control measures and called for a strict enforcement mechanism.The Bench gave the governments 24 hours to enforce compliance with the pollution control measures.Shortly after that, an affidavit was filed by the Central government stating that a 5-member Enforcement Task Force and 17 flying squads have been constituted to ensure implementation of various measures mandated by the Court.A Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant will hear the plea. Live updates from the hearing below..Solicitor General Tushar Mehta: We are guilty of filing something late as we finalised it late. Let this mechanism work under your lordship's supervision..Justice DY Chandrachud: They say a five-member task force has been constituted and that number of flying squads will be increased to 40 and 17 are constituted already..Solicitor General: This task force consists of two independent members and they will meet at 6 PM every day and task force will be reporting to them, another stringent condition now is that PNG industries will allow to run for 8 hours..Justice DY Chandrachud: The flying squads will be confined to Delhi or also NCR? Solicitor General: Entire NCR. That is why more in number since they will cover the entire NCR and any dereliction in duty will lead to disciplinary proceedings..Supreme Court: If you close down thermal power plant please let us know if there is an alternate source of power so that there is no delirious impact on the power supply.CJI Ramana: In the long run you have to tell us how can this be shifted also..Dr. AM Singhvi for Delhi Government reads the affidavit by Delhi government: Schools were closed for 17 months and then it remained open for a short while for 15-16 days in November..CJI Ramana: One thing what we observed is whether intentional or unintentional and some sections of media portrays us that we are the villain who wants to close down the schools. On your own, you opened the schools.. but see today's newspapers..Dr. Singhvi: That is my complaint too. You must put the blame where it is. Today one newspaper has conveyed in particular that the hearing was an aggressive combat and started take up the administrative duty.CJI Ramana: Some sections are portraying as if we don't want schools to open..Dr. Singhvi: The fact that one newspaper is at variance with two others shows the falsity in it. CJI Ramana: You can condemn all of this, but where do we go? Where have we said we will take up administrative role..CJI Ramana: Which newspaper was it? Dr. Singhvi: It was Indian express page 2 as to how you lambasting the government and as if you were threatening to take over the administrative duty..CJI Ramana: We cannot interfere with freedom of speech and expression and you are from a political party and can hold a press conference but we cannot do so.Dr. Singhvi: It cannot be unrestricted..Justice DY Chandrachud: On judicial infrastructure issue we suggested if we can have a national body so that something constructive can be done.. but what we say in court is twisted and it was stated that High courts have to go with begging bowls.. when did we say that?.Dr. Singhvi: Court press reporting is different than political reporting which is on the ground. The fact that Indian Express reported it different than other newspapers shows the falsity. Justice Surya Kant: We can ignore it.Dr. Singhvi: Ignoring will only lead to emboldenment..Solicitor General: Mark Twain had said, if you don't read newspapers you are uninformed and if you read them then you are ill informed..Singhvi reads the Delhi government affidavit and pleads for construction to remain open at designated Hospital sites..CJI Ramana: Yes, Mr. Singhvi.. Justice Surya Kant: He may have gone to some other court.CJI Ramana: hahaha (bench laughs)..Senior Advocate Vikas Singh: Last year when Justice Lokur was appointed they brought in an ordinance and now you have brought in flying squads. on their own they are doing nothing..Sr. Adv. Singh: Why cannot they bring electric solar power plant so that there are no thermal plants?Justice DY Chandrachud: We have already said this.. Sr. Adv. Singh: This affidavit is to only ensure that court's interference is minimal..CJI Ramana: This is not an adversarial litigation. If government does everything, then there will be no PILs. They have already done what you wanted.Sr. Adv. Singh: But I have no faith in this.. CJI Ramana: We are not closing the case.. we will monitor it..CJI Ramana: Okay we will pass orders..Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar for Uttar Pradesh says closure of industries may affect sugar cane industries: UP is on down wind, air is mostly coming from Pakistan. CJI Ramana: So, you want to ban industries in Pakistan?.CJI Ramana: We have perused affidavit by Centre and NCT. We have taken into consideration the directions proposed. We direct Centre and NCT of Delhi to implement the orders of December 2 and we keep matter pending and will hear it next Friday..Advocate Shyel Trehan makes a case for labour welfare.Lawyer submits on impact of fly ash.Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar: Court uth gayi hai bhai (bench has risen).

Delhi Air Pollution case [LIVE UPDATES from Supreme Court]

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