Air pollution problem very serious: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has warned that the problem of air pollution is very serious and solutions need to be found urgently, rather than in years. A bench of Justices M B Lokur and P C Pant said that some of the victims of air pollution are due to inefficient systems and non-implementation of norms. 

The observation came yesterday 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 bench



asked the Centre to furnish a status report regarding show cause notices issued to PUC centres and directed the Environment Pollution Control Authority to inspect all 962 PUC centers in Delhi and submit the report about their functioning.The Centre informed the court that consultations among all stakeholders is being done regarding banning of petcoke and furnace oil as industrial fuel in Delhi-NCR region. The apex court asked the Centre to file the status report with regard to banning of petcoke and furnace oil on the next date of hearing on February 6.