Supreme Court permits construction activities of hospitals in Delhi amid rising air pollution
On Thursday, the Supreme Court had issued a stern warning to the Centre, Delhi government and NCR states over the issue of rising air pollution in the region.
FollowNew Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Delhi government to continue with construction activities of hospitals. The apex court also set the next date of hearing, which is December 10. The Delhi government requesting that construction work at hospitals be exempted from the ban told the SC that to prepare and counter the Covid-19 3rd wave, it had started to revamp its hospital infrastructure and started construction of 7 new hospitals, but due to construction ban work has stopped. In addition to that, work is being carried out in 19 government hospitals to provide better health infrastructure in the national capital for the benefit of patients.
The commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR also informed the apex court that the industrial operations in NCR not running on CNG/cleaner fuels allowed to operate only up to 8 hrs from Monday to Friday only. Additionally, entry of trucks in Delhi except CNG/electric trucks and trucks carrying essential commodities has been stopped.
Also read: Delhi schools to remain closed again from tomorrow till further orders over pollution crisis
On Thursday, the Supreme Court had issued a stern warning to the Centre, Delhi government and NCR states over the issue of rising air pollution in the region. The top court had given 24 hours to the Centre and the states to come up with a concrete plan and had warned of action if they failed to come up with measures to control pollution.
With an AQI of 429, Delhi was the most polluted city in the country on Thursday, ahead of Faridabad (428) and Manesar (413). A day earlier, the AQI had been 370, but local pollutants accumulated without any scope for dispersion leading to a sharp deterioration in air quality.
Meanwhile, the air quality in the national capital has not budged from the `very poor` category for a while now. On Friday (December 3, 2021), the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi (overall) stood at 385, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
