Delhi Pollution:SC suggests imposing lockdown for 2 days

Air pollution in Delhi- NCR has reached to a very severe catagory. Delhi and nearby cities blanketed in smog for over a week now. And the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre and the state governments while hearing a plea concerning air pollution in Delhi on Saturday. The court suggested imposing a two-day lockdown in the city amid worsening air quality. A special bench of CJI NV Ramana, Justice DY Chandrachud, and Justice Suryakant heard the petition filed 17-year-old Delhi student Aditya Dubey.  CJI Ramana said, “We have seen how bad the situation is. We are wearing masks even inside our homes.”  Justice Chandrachud stressed during the hearing, "We are exposing little children. Schools are open. AIIMS Chief said there is Covid, dengue and pollution and children are going out in this kind of weather." 

The court asked Centre to call an emergency meeting of all the stakeholders and posted the matter for hearing on Monday. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued, “Everyone is fighting their own battle- state, Center, agencies. We have filed short summary of steps taken by everyone.” “Two lakh machines [have been made] available for decomposing the stubble for in situ crop stubble management. There are avenues that the statutory commission has opened for using up the stubble in biomass plants etc. There is complete prohibition on burning,” Tushar Mehta said.