New Delhi, Nov 24 (FN Agency) The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the way the state and central bureaucracy works to deal with the current crisis emanating due to pollution, and said that they should go to the fields and discuss the issue with farmers and others on how to deal with the situation. “We are using common sense to discuss the issues. What is the central and state bureaucracy doing? Why can’t they go to the fields, talk to farmers and scientists and devise a permanent solution to prevent stubble burning,” a three-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana observed.
The Supreme Court also said that the Center should prepare a scientific model based on the last five years data to determine the average air pollution levels in different seasons every year and take steps prior to the anticipated days of ‘severe air pollution’ days to prevent worsening of ambient air quality. It also observed that thousands of crores of Rupees collected as cess for welfare of construction workers are lying with states and asked Delhi, NCR states to pay subsistence allowances to construction workers for the days when all construction work was banned due to severe air pollution days. The Supreme Court made it clear that it will not dispose of the pollution case and would continue to monitor the situation round the year to find out what anticipated steps are being taken by the Center, Delhi and NCR states to prevent the air from being polluted. The Supreme Court today fixed the matter for further hearing on November 29, Monday. “There have been little progress so far and the pollution has been down for certain level, but not fully,” the CJI said, and added that further measures ought to be taken for reducing pollution. With respect to the stoppage of construction work, the Supreme Court wanted to know from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that how much of labour fund is available? The CJI asked Mehta regarding construction workers and labourers, he said that if the work of construction is discontinued, the center should help these construction workers by extending some relief from the labour fund. “You (SG Mehta) have to take immediate measures and have to deal with the situation”, the CJI said.