Air pollution problem ‘very serious’, urgent steps needed: SC

New Delhi, January 17

The Supreme Court on Tuesday warned that the problem of air pollution was very serious and solutions needed to be found urgently, rather than in years.

“This pollution problem is very serious. If you talk for years for a solution, then it is a problem,” a bench of Justices MB Lokur and PC Pant said, adding that some of the victims of air pollution are due to inefficient systems and non-implementation of norms.

The observation came after amicus curiae and senior advocate Harish Salve said there was a need to ensure 100 per cent compliance of Pollution Under Certificate (PUC) and linking them with the insurance of vehicles done every year.

“The year period is too far. Insurance of vehicle is done annually. We need to find solutions fast,” the bench said and asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, to specify the number of PUC centres in Delhi.

Kumar said there were 962 such centres in Delhi with each of them inspecting around 5,000 vehicles every three months.

He said show-cause notices had also been issued to some 174 for irregularities, licences of 14 had been cancelled, licences of 75 had been suspended and warning notices issued to 78 such centres.

The bench asked the Centre to furnish a status report regarding show-cause notices issued to PUC centres and directed the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to inspect all 962 PUC centres and submit the report about their functioning.

The Centre informed the court that consultations among all stakeholders were being done regarding banning of pet coke and furnace oil as industrial fuel in Delhi-NCR region.

The SG said reports had been sought from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), National Physical Laboratory, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) and industrial houses with regard to banning of the fuel.

“Report has been sought from various stakeholders and meeting among them is scheduled for Wednesday on the issue of banning of pet coke and furnace oil. We need some deliberations among them as industries which are reliant on such fuels need to adopt some alternatives and the government has to issue notification in this regard,” Kumar said.

The apex court asked the Centre to file the status report with regard to banning of pet coke and furnace oil on the next date of hearing on February 6. PTI