Insta
Pollution In Delhi. (Representative Image) (Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
In an unprecedented step to check air pollution in the country, the Supreme Court on Monday (25 November) issued notice to all states and Union Territories seeking their response in six weeks on why they should not be held accountable to pay compensation to people for not providing clean air.
In a three-hour hearing, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra and comprising Deepak Gupta said, "The Air Quality Index (AQI) is extremely poor in many cities and towns...we also need to know how they are managing garbage. It appears that these issues have lost priorities for the authorities."
The bench also pointed out the emerging issue of unavailability of clean drinking water in many cities and towns. "Yamuna river has turned into sewage. River Ganga is also in the same condition. Rive water pollution is a major issue," said the court.
It observed that the right to life has been endangered by the state due to lack of response on most pressing issues. "We have noted that every year, and year after year, the process is worsening...time has come to protect right to life. Why they (state administrations) should not pay compensation on air pollution, not lifting garbage etc. Time has come to rewind the state machinery", said Justice Mishra.
The apex court observed that Delhi is among six most polluted cities in the country, and out of these, three are located in Uttar Pradesh.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest