The Supreme Court today said that it would hear on December 15 all matters relating to rising level of air pollution in the national capital including a plea to ban diesel-run vehicles.
"We will hear it on Tuesday as other matter is already listed for hearing," a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said when an advocate sought urgent hearing of his plea for banning diesel vehicles in some cities in the country.
The apex court had yesterday stepped into the raging debate on pollution and had agreed to examine a suggestion to ban entry of all diesel-run trucks, except those carrying essential goods, into the national capital.
It had also asked the Centre to come up with "common minimum acceptable programmes" on the issue after consulting all stakeholders.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae in a 1984 PIL filed by environmentalist M C Mehta on the issue, had suggested that trucks, except those carrying essential goods into Delhi, can be banned in pursuance of the 2001 order of the apex court.
The apex court said fire crackers were not manufactured
in Delhi and Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu was the major place of manufacture.
"Sivakasi is the source. The people of Sivakasi should do some environment friendly work instead of playing with fire. Let them export it to other countries," the bench observed.
At the outset, when one of the advocates told the court that children enjoy bursting fire crackers, the bench shot back, "What pleasure? If the people want pleasure of seeing bursting of fire crackers, then an organisation should come forward and take them to Yamuna Expressway. Go there and see firecrackers for 15 minutes and come back home".
At the outset, the apex court asked senior advocate K K Venugopal, who was appearing for one of the petitioners, about the stockists having licences in Delhi.
"The point is that some wholesellers must be having fire crackers in bulk and selling it to small shopkeepers who do not have licence. They are buying fire crackers in bulk from outside. The gun powder can be used for other mischevious purposes as well," the bench said.
Venugopal responded, "Yes, it can be used for terrorist purpose also".
The issue of pollution from diesel generator sets also cropped up during the hearing and Venugopal said solar energy was the answer to deal with the problem.
However, the bench observed, "As per reports, 30 per cent children in Delhi are asthametic. We will have to take all measures from all fronts."
The petitioners also requested the bench to give a time limit to the government to suspend and not renew the licence for possessing, stocking and selling fire crackers here.
They have moved the Supreme Court seeking ban on use of fire crackers in Delhi-NCR on the ground that it has contributed immensely to the worsening air pollution here.
