SC seeks alternatives to construction ban for curbing Delhi air pollution

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Commission for Air Quality Management to consider alternative options instead of imposing a blanket ban on construction work during the winter season in Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region to tackle air pollution, Live Law reported.

A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said that such a ban adversely affected the livelihood of daily wage workers.

“Workers moving from different parts of the country are without any work during those periods,” Live Law quoted the court as saying.

It added: “As far as the compensation that is paid to the said workers, they have also written that various applications have been filed before this court, alleging that the compensation is not properly paid.”

The bench directed the air quality panel to hold deliberations with the states about concrete plans to prevent pollution rather than imposing prohibitory orders. “The same shall be done within a period of three weeks from today,” it added.

The court made the remarks while hearing a suo motu case on vacancies in state pollution control boards and committees.

During the winter over the past few years, the Commission for Air Quality Management has banned construction activities as part of its Graded Response Action Plan to curb air pollution in Delhi and the NCR...

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