Delhi Air Pollution: People sitting in 5-star hotels blame farmers, but ignore firecrackers, says SC

“People sitting in 5, 7-star hotels in Delhi criticise how they [farmers] contribute to pollution. Have you seen their earnings per land holding?” Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked.

The Supreme Court said that people in Delhi sit in 5- and 7-star hotels and blame farmers for pollution. (Representative image)

A Supreme Court bench, while hearing the matter of Delhi air pollution on Wednesday, November 17, said that people in Delhi sit in 5- and 7-star hotels and blame farmers for pollution. The Supreme Court said what it is seeing is the plight of farmers.

“People sitting in 5, 7-star hotels in Delhi criticise how they [farmers] contribute to pollution. Have you seen their earnings per land holding?” Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked. He said: “We ignore the fact that firecrackers are burning despite the ban.” CJI Ramana remarked: “There has to be some responsibility. “Not everything can be done through judicial orders.” He then sought to know why firecrackers had been allowed to be burnt in Delhi over the 10 days after Diwali.

The Delhi government, on its part, submitted to the Supreme Court that it was the only state out of five involved in the pollution crisis case that had shifted completely to work-from-home mode.

During a hearing at the apex court on the pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR, when Justice Surya Kant asked: “Why can’t you identify one or two days when public offices are closed why don’t you shut down traffic?” advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, said: “I’m [Delhi is] the only state out of five, which has shifted to 100% work from home. We have given all financial support as well.”

CJI Ramana also sharply criticized: “Everybody wants this as an election campaign.”

During the hearing, Justice DY Chandrachud remarked: “You have emphasised enforcement and inspection action. Apart from these, if you take some positive steps it will have a better impact.” To this, Singhvi said: “I’m only emphasising that out of the Centre’s list, 90% has already been done by Delhi. We can increase the frequency of buses; but for that, we need to take out the tender process.”

When Justice Chandrachud suggested increasing the number of CNG buses so that commuters can ditch private vehicles, Singhvi said that it cannot be implemented as a short-term measure to curb pollution in Delhi.”

He further said: “Even if Delhi implements the odd-even scheme, what would be the point of it if vehicles keep coming in from other states?”

Singhvi also said: “The Delhi government has approved the purchase of 15 new machines. Now, Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCDs) have to make the purchases. “We are not on a jurisdictional turf war. We shall support any amount [for purchase of anti-pollution equipment],” he added.

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