High Court orders Delhi clean-up within two weeks

Delhi high court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) again brought up the alarming air pollution in the national capital on Wednesday.

The high court admonished civic authorities in the city for their alleged lack of interest in keeping the streets of Delhi free from dust and rubble, saying the present state of affairs were causing immense dust pollution, in addition to diseases such as chikungunya. 

"It has become impossible. Even Lutyens’ Delhi is not free from rubble. Why don't you want to keep Delhi clean?" the bench said, directing Public Works Department, New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi Cantonment Board, and Delhi Development Authority to clean up the city within two weeks.

The court asked authorities to file a status report on the amount of rubble removed, and also directed the cleaning of drains and sewers mechanically and putting up bio-degradable and non-degradable dustbins in all public places. 

The high court has set the next date of hearing on December 7 and warned officers of various departments they would be held personally liable for non-compliance with its orders.

NGT mulls panel

The NGT contemplated formation of a committee of authorities from Delhi and four neighbouring states to combat worsening air quality.

"We propose a committee comprising the chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, who shall meet once in two months and prepare a plan for implementation of directions on air pollution,"  NGT said. It said this committee could meet in Delhi, Lucknow, Chandigarh, among others, and any decision taken by the body would be binding on all these regions. 

NGT has also recommended that a sub-committee be formed comprising of secretaries of the central pollution control board, state pollution control boards, environment and urban development ministries who are to report to the main committee and submit information on the execution of the decisions taken by the panel.