Supreme Court Demands Action Against Vehicle Pollution in Delhi-NCR
The Supreme Court has ordered immediate action to curb rising vehicle pollution in Delhi-NCR, demanding responses from multiple state governments.
New Delhi, November 10 (Daily Kiran) : The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over the escalating vehicle pollution levels in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The court emphasized the need for immediate action to address this pressing issue.
In its directive, the Supreme Court has sought responses from the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the police, as well as the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The court inquired about the measures taken to prevent the entry and operation of old vehicles that exceed their age limit and do not comply with pollution standards in the Delhi-NCR region.
The court has requested information on the regulations established to control both commercial and private vehicles operating in Delhi and the NCR. It specifically pointed out the need to regulate vehicles coming from other states.
Key questions posed by the court include how authorities are identifying and inspecting vehicles that fail to meet pollution standards, and how compliance with valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates is being ensured. The court also asked what steps have been taken to prevent older, polluting vehicles from being on the roads.
Officials are required to report on the number of vehicles inspected so far, the number of fines issued, and how many vehicles have been denied entry into Delhi. Furthermore, the court inquired about the coordination among officials from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh in enforcing pollution regulations for vehicles traveling between states.
The court is also interested in the future plans of the governments to reduce vehicle pollution, including potential changes to strengthen the enforcement of existing regulations and their timeline for implementation.
All states have been ordered to submit their responses within a week, with the next hearing scheduled for November 23. A recent report presented to the court by the Air Quality Management Commission identified vehicle emissions as the leading cause of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, attributing 23% of winter pollution and 19% during summer to vehicle exhaust.
