Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati expressed hope that Delhi and the Centre will not face any conflict.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on 13th February, observed that even though the recent election results in Delhi may have ended the political fight between the Centre and the Delhi government, it does not automatically mean that the problem of air pollution will be solved.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing the case related to Delhi’s air pollution issue.
Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is the amicus curiae (a legal expert appointed to assist the court), expressed relief that the Centre and the Delhi government would not be in conflict after the BJP’s victory in the Delhi elections.
She told the bench, “Half of the time was wasted in fighting and, as a consequence, the issues remain unresolved.”
Responding to this, the bench made a light-hearted remark:
“That’s the practical aspect of it. They may not be fighting, that does not mean they will be proactive.”
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, said she was hopeful that there would be no further clashes between the two authorities. She also requested the court’s permission to ease the strict anti-pollution measures under GRAP-IV (Graded Response Action Plan), which are currently in place in the national capital.
The Supreme Court, however, asked Bhati to provide an Air Quality Index (AQI) chart before making any decision on easing restrictions.
Furthermore, the apex court asked the Centre’s counsel to seek instructions on whether the recommendations of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which was set up under the Environmental Protection Act, could be extended to all cities struggling with air pollution and not just Delhi.
After hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing on the matter for February 17.
