The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to take any issue with the imposition of closure orders on schools or the operating of hybrid models owing to the rising levels of air pollutants in the national capital Delhi and the neighboring regions of the NCR.
During the hearing, it was orally noted by the court that the efforts that have been made so far by the authorities have been an absolute failure in terms of managing air pollution. This was noted by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India S.K. Kant.
Responding to certain petitions regarding the sufficiency or adequacy of recent government actions to care for the minors during the closure of schools and hybrids classes, the court held these were only policy decisions on health risks. It clarified these were only short-term policy decisions, primarily in favor of minors as well as senior citizens.
The court has pointed out that none of these short term solutions can be considered anything more than an extension of school vacations, seeing how schools will actually be closed for a period of 10 to 15 days during the winter season.
The-chief justice observed that the problem of air pollution has now become an annual affair and that an effective long-term plan is needed on this count.
The Supreme Court has asked the Commission for Air Quality Management to re-examine long-term actions and pay special attention to certain important areas. These are “Urban mobility, a cleaner industry and energy sector, stubble burning and encouraging farmers to change their method, construction activities and providing jobs when these are stopped, household activities, enhancing ‘greens’, citizen engagement and voluntary efforts for pollution reduction, and more such areas”.
At the same time, the Supreme Court withdraws the protection afforded to end-of-life vehicles in Delhi NCR, which fail emissions standards and come under the BS III and below categories. The order was made on behalf of the recommendation made by the CAQM, changing its earlier order from August 12, which protected such vehicles from coercive actions.
