The Supreme Court in the case has summoned the the Chairperson of Delhi Pollution Control Committee, DPCC on next date of its hearing in air pollution matter i.e., November 10. 2023.
The bench in its order stated that the smog tower which has been instituted in pursuance to the directions issued earlier albeit on experimental basis, is not working. Thus, on the query, the answer is some disciplinary action is proposed against an officer, who being the Chairman of DPCC. This being ludicrous and we want the tower to be working, as to against which officer what they do is their business.
The counsel, Senior Advocate Aparajitha Singh (Amicus), pointed out the aspect of smog towers being non-functional.
In the present case, the intervention application was filed in the case MC Mehta v. Union of India matter seeking the following prayers:
1. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee is directed to immediately release data from the study on ‘Real Time Source Apportionment and Forecasting for Advance Air Pollution Management in Delhi, commissioned by it,
2. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee is directed to publish real time source apportionment data for the sources of air pollution in Delhi on an ongoing basis, at least for this Winter Season of 2023-2024.
3. The Government of NCT of Delhi as well as the Delhi Pollution Control Committee is directed to re-open and operationalize the Smog Tower installed at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Conn aught Place, New Delhi.
The court in the case observed and has directed the Chairperson of DPCC to remain personally present in Court on Friday.
It has also been submitted during the hearing with regards to smog towers that may I also point out that as per a direction of the Supreme Court a smog tower was set up, at the expense to 20 crores to exchequer in CP. Now, I have read newspapers reports that it is not functioning…. Let the Delhi Govt. in order to ensure that the smog tower starts functioning.