SC to hear plea seeking enforcement of measures to curb pollution in Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea seeking enforcement of measures to curb air pollution in the national capital.
Delhi woke up to toxic air conditions on Sunday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the "severe" category.
The AQI stood at 429 at 9 am, according to the 'Sameer App', which provides hourly updates from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 417 at 4 pm on Saturday.
As per the cause list of November 18 uploaded on the apex court website, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih is slated to hear the plea.
On November 14, the top court had agreed to urgently list the plea after it was told that Delhi should not become the most polluted city in the world due to the rising pollution.
The bench had agreed to list the matter after senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who has been assisting the apex court as an amicus curiae in the matter, requested for urgent hearing looking at the prevailing situation in Delhi.
The amicus had told the bench that she had intimated the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) and they should explain the steps being taken to curb pollution.
On November 11, the top court had taken serious note of the violation of its firecrackers ban order on Diwali, and observed that no religion encourages any activity that creates pollution.
It had asked the Delhi government to decide within a fortnight on extending the firecracker ban throughout the year.
It had said the right to live in a pollution-free atmosphere was a fundamental right of every citizen, protected by Article 21 of the Constitution.
The apex court is hearing a plea seeking directions to curb air pollution in the national capital and adjoining areas.
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Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
