HC to take up issue of air pollution in Delhi

Delhi High Court on Friday decided to take up suo motu the issue of air pollution in the national capital, a couple of days after it observed that poor air quality was a major cause of respiratory problems in most children here.

"What we are planning to do is to take it up suo motu. Let us know who the concerned authorities are and we will issue notice to them on Monday," a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva told the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

The bench took the decision after DPCC counsel Sanjeev Ralli informed the court that a matter regarding environment pollution was being heard by Supreme Court since 1988 and another petition on air pollution in Delhi and surrounding states was before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The submissions by the DPCC counsel came pursuant to the court's query on February 3 on whether the apex court is dealing with matter of air pollution. Ralli also informed the court that several comprehensive orders have been issued by NGT.

"We have nothing to do with NGT. Can't leave it to them," the bench remarked and said it will issue notice once it gets the names of the concerned authorities. On February 3, the court had termed as "unacceptable" that majority of kids in Delhi were suffering from respiratory problems owing to "poor ambient air quality" in the city. "If no one is looking into it, then it is high time we did," the court had said.