Air pollution in Delhi alarming, HC calls for pollution map

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The court issued the directions while hearing a PIL on the problem of poor ambient air quality in Delhi, an issue which it has taken up suo motu and in which it has also appointed an amicus curiae.

New Delhi: Taking note of "alarming" levels of air pollution in the national capital, Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the city government's geospatial authority to provide a detailed pollution map of the city since 2010.

A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva said that air pollution in certain areas of Delhi like Anand Vihar, was at "hazardous levels" and directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to give "standards of air quality as prescribed by statute and notification".

The court issued the directions while hearing a PIL on the problem of poor ambient air quality in Delhi, an issue which it has taken up suo motu and in which it has also appointed an amicus curiae. It directed the Delhi Geospatial Authority to provide the pollution map on the suggestion of the amicus.

The bench also directed DPCC to furnish data with regard to air quality being monitored by the authority at six different locations in Delhi. It said the data has to be provided from each monitoring station on the levels of pollution recorded during various times of the day over a period of one week, and said "we want to see results."

"We will judge your (authorities) performance as per the air quality index of the capital," it said. The court had taken up the issue on its own after it came across news reports that Delhi was one of the most polluted cities in the world. The bench had also come across information that over 50 per cent of children in Delhi suffered from respiratory trouble caused by poor ambient air quality.

Terming pollution situation in the city as "unacceptable", the court had earlier asked DPCC to inform it whether the Supreme Court was looking into the matter of air pollution.

DPCC on February 6 had informed the court that one matter regarding environment pollution was pending before the apex court, while another petition on air pollution in Delhi and surrounding states was before the National Green Tribunal. DPCC had also informed the court that several comprehensive orders have been issued by NGT in this regard. "We have nothing to do with NGT. Can't leave it to them," the bench had remarked.