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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'BJP deliberately wants Manipur to burn': Mallikarjun Kharge
New Delhi (PTI): As fresh violence erupted in Manipur, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday alleged the ruling party deliberately wants the border state to burn as "it serves their hateful divisive politics".
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has cancelled his poll rallies in Maharashtra in view of the escalating violence in Manipur.
Kharge said the people of state will never forgive or forget that Prime Minister Narendra Modi left them to fend for themselves and never set foot in their state to heal their miseries.
"@narendramodi ji, Under your double engine governments, 'neither Manipur is one, nor is Manipur Safe'," the Congress president said in a post on X.
"Since May 2023, it is undergoing unimaginable pain, division and simmering violence, which has destroyed the future of its people.
"We are saying it with utmost responsibility that it looks that the BJP deliberately wants Manipur to burn, for it serves its hateful divisive politics," he said.
Kharge said at least 17 people have lost their lives since November 7, adding new districts are being added to the list of strife-torn regions and the fire is spilling over to bordering northeastern states.
"You have failed Manipur — a beautiful border state. Even if you visit Manipur in future, people of the state will never forgive or forget that you left them to fend for themselves, and never set foot in their state to heal their miseries and find a solution," the Congress chief said.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also termed the recent string of violent clashes and continuing bloodshed in Manipur "deeply disturbing".
He urged Prime Minister Modi to visit the state and work towards restoring peace in the region.
In a post on X, Gandhi said the recent string of violent clashes and continuing bloodshed in Manipur is deeply disturbing.
"After more than a year of division and suffering, it was the hope of every Indian that the Central and state governments would make every effort at reconciliation and found a solution," the former Congress chief said.
"I urge the PM once again to visit Manipur and work towards restoring peace and healing in the region," he said.
A day after the bodies of three out of six missing persons were fished out of a river in Manipur, the protesters on Saturday attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs, prompting the government to clamp prohibitory orders in five districts for an indefinite period besides suspending internet services in parts of the state.
In Imphal, angry protesters ransacked the houses of three legislators, including that of Chief Minister N Biren Singh's son-in-law, and set their properties on fire even as the security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitators.
