People in 5-star hotels keep blaming farmers, what action on gas-guzzlers, hi-fi cars, asks SC

Centre lists emergency measures, top court presses for urgent action to reduce vehicular pollution

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on authorities in the National Capital Region for once again trying to seek measures against pollution from stubble burning and said that despite everyone agreeing that vehicular and industrial pollution are major sources, no one was doing anything concrete to stop “gas-guzzling” industries and “hi-fi” cars. Holding that farmers’ circumstances should be considered, the top court on Wednesday directed all NCR states to strictly implement the directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR and adjoining areas - as issued on Tuesday night after an emergency meeting.

But before doing so, the court took a serious view of the bureaucracy, noting that the affidavits submitted by the Centre and other state governments had not highlighted any action that can be taken to curb vehicular pollution and pollution coming from construction sites.

While directing the authorities to follow the CAQM directions, the court observed that it cannot get into the nitty-gritty and that bureaucracy had developed a “sort of inertia” of not taking decisions that are being left to the courts.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR and Adjoining Areas, which held the meeting at the direction of the apex court on Tuesday with the Centre, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, came out with a slew of emergency steps to deal with industrial pollution, thermal plants, vehicular emissions, dust control, diesel generators as well as encouraging work from home.