The order comes ahead of Thursday’s hearing on the pollution issue at the Supreme Court.
New Delhi:
President Ram Nath Kovind signed an ordinance or decree for the formation of a committee to review the management of air quality in Delhi and the surrounding areas. The order comes ahead of Thursday’s hearing on the pollution issue at the Supreme Court.
On Monday, the Center told the Supreme Court it would create a permanent body through legislation to deal with the annual problem of air pollution in Delhi and the surrounding area. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the government, said the new bill would be tabled within three or four days.
Accepting the Centre’s request, the court then suspended the committee composed of a retired judge, Judge MB Lokur, to oversee measures aimed at combating stubble burning.
Key sources from the Department of the Environment said the new committee will be tasked with tackling not only stubble burning, but also overall pollution in the national capital region.
The ordinance establishes an air quality management commission in the national capital region for better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems surrounding the air quality index.
The 18-member commission will be chaired by a chair appointed by the Center. This will have representatives from Delhi, Haryana, UP, Punjab and Rajasthan.
According to the ordinance, this commission will replace all other committees to streamline public participation and interstate cooperation in the management of air pollution in the NCR and its adjacent areas.
On October 16, the Supreme Court appointed retired Judge Madan B. Lokur to oversee stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh – a key source of pollution each winter.
At the time, the court refused to accept the Center’s request to reconsider the appointment.
Leading sources from the Ministry of the Environment had told GalacticGaming on Monday that the new committee would be a standing body that would replace the EPCA – Authority (Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution) – headed by Bhure Lal.
The annual winter pollution in Delhi and its adjacent areas has been a matter of great concern this year, with experts saying it could lead to an increase in coronavirus cases.
Over the past two days, the nation’s capital has recorded more than 4,000 cases per day. Today, in a first, the daily peak in coronavirus cases has crossed 5,000 to affect 5,673.
