Supreme Court seeks responses from Delhi and states on vehicle emissions
The court directed authorities in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to file details regarding the regulation of vehicular emissions in the NCR.
The Supreme Court has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD), the Delhi Police (Traffic Department) and the states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to file detailed responses on regulating vehicular emissions in the National Capital Region (NCR).
According to The Pioneer, the order was issued by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana during a suo motu case examining the regulatory framework for air pollution.
The bench noted that Delhi and the NCR bear a cumulative burden of vehicular traffic originating from within their boundaries and from neighbouring states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
The court requested information on the existing regulatory framework and enforcement mechanisms for commercial and non-commercial vehicles entering the region. It also asked for details on measures to identify and regulate vehicles that do not meet prescribed emission standards, including the enforcement of Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification.
The bench further directed the government to outline proposed short-term and long-term measures to mitigate vehicular emissions and reduce their contribution to deteriorating air quality in the NCR.
The court stated that the situation is compounded by the substantial volume of vehicles entering the city from different parts of the region, which adds to the existing emission load.