The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government told the Supreme Court on Monday in an affidavit that it is ready to take measures like complete lockdown in the NCR to control the rising air pollution.
It clarified that if a lockdown is imposed, it will be effective in National Capital Region areas across neighboring states. The affidavit was filed in the writ petition Aditya Dubey versus Union of India and others which seek measures to control the worsening air quality situation in Delhi, according to Live Law.
The top court has asked the Centre and the state government to respond by Tuesday over which industries can be stopped and vehicles which can be prevented from plying and also how they can provide the alternative power. The SC also pulled up the Delhi government and asked as to why only 69 automated sweeping machines are being used to clean the roads when dust pollution continues to be a major source of pollution in the NCR.
Delhi recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 330 on Sunday against 437 on Saturday as emissions from farm fires in Haryana and Punjab dropped significantly. AQI topped 471 on Friday, which is considered to be the worst number in this season. The air quality index of neighbouring Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, Greater Noida was recorded at 331, 287, 321, 298 and 310, respectively.
