'Delhi should not become the most polluted city': Supreme Court to hear plea on Nov 18

New Delhi: As people in Delhi suffered from severe air pollution, the Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear on November 18, a plea for enforcement of urgent measures to control the worsening situation in the national capital, after it was informed that Delhi should not become the most polluted city in the world.

Senior advocate Aprajita Singh, appointed as amicus curiae, mentioned a matter related to air pollution before a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih. 

She said the bench should urgently hear the matter against the backdrop of severe air pollution in Delhi. 

The court has been hearing a matter related to air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

"Since yesterday we have been in severe mode. Just to avoid this situation, this court has asked them to take pre-emptive action. They have not done anything. We should not become the most polluted city in the world," Singh contended before the bench.

She submitted before the bench that she has informed the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) and they should explain what steps are being taken. 

After her brief submissions, the bench fixed the matter for hearing on November 18.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi's Air Quality Index at 9 am on Thursday was 428, which falls in the 'severe' category. 

The air quality in Delhi on Wednesday was reported as the worst in the country, plunging into the 'severe' category for the first time this season and thick layer smog engulfed the city, reducing the visibility too. The city's 24-hour AQI, recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 418 on Wednesday, up from 334 the previous day.

Dealing with the issue of failure of the concerned authorities to implement the firecrackers ban in Delhi during Diwali, the court had on November 11 said, "The right to live in a pollution free atmosphere is a fundamental right of every citizen, which is protected by Article 21 of the Constitution. Prima facie, we are of the view that no religion encourages any activity which creates pollution. If fire crackers are burnt in this fashion, it also affects the fundamental right to health of citizens”.