Advocate flags construction inside Supreme Court as top court hears pollution plea

Advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan highlighted the issue when the Supreme Court was taking stock of the pollution levels from Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Delhi government.

In Short

• Supreme Court criticises Delhi government over air pollution
• Justice Oka questions about enforcement of construction ban
• Advocate highlights ongoing construction at Supreme Court

When the Supreme Court was criticising the Delhi government and other authorities over alarming air pollution levels in the capital, construction activities became a highlight. As the top court was seeking updates of the ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan pointed out that construction activities were ongoing in the Supreme Court, right outside Court 11.

The advocate highlighted the issue when the Supreme Court was taking stock of the pollution levels from Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Delhi government.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih was asking officials about enforcement of construction bans aimed at curbing pollution, when Justice Oka asked, "What about the ban on construction and demolition? Is anyone verifying these sites? Who is monitoring this?"

That’s when Sankarnarayanan said, "Construction is happening right here within the Supreme Court premises. Stones are being broken, and dust is filling the air." He added that the newly inaugurated block was still under construction, causing visible dust pollution.

A shocked Justice Oka immediately instructed, "Flash a message requesting the Secretary General to appear in court. Just call him."

The top court was hearing a petition seeking enforcement of measures to curb air pollution in the national capital.

The Supreme Court on Monday reprimanded the Delhi government and the central commission CAQM for the delay in implementing the anti-pollution curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the national capital, where the air quality has reached the 'severe plus' category.

The top court ordered that the Stage 4 restrictions under GRAP will remain in place until further instructions from the court.

Delhi's air quality, which reached the "severe-plus" category on Sunday evening, further deteriorated on Monday, dropping to 495 on the air quality index (AQI) by 1 pm. This marked the worst air quality of the season.