Ordinance to revive air quality commission in a week: Centre tells SC
The commission was shut down within five months of its constitution after the ordinance issued to constitute it lapsed last month. Ordinances must be approved by Parliament within six weeks of the House convening or they cease to operate.
The central government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it will issue an ordinance in a week to revive the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas.
The commission was shut down within five months of its constitution after the ordinance issued to constitute it lapsed last month.
Ordinances must be approved by Parliament within six weeks of the House convening or they cease to operate. They will also cease to operate in case resolutions disapproving the ordinance are passed by both the Houses. The ordinance on the air quality management was not introduced in Parliament within six weeks of its convention in October last year.
On Thursday, solicitor general Tushar Mehta sought ten days from a bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde to place the ordinance on record. Accepting the request, the bench, which also included justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, adjourned the matter to April 19.
Nudged by the top court, the Union environment ministry had promulgated The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Area Ordinance on October 28 last year to implement a consolidated approach to monitoring, tackling and eliminating causes of air pollution in Delhi NCR and adjoining areas.
Complaining against disbanding of the commission, teenager Aditya Dubey, had filed an application in the top court which was taken up on Thursday when the government assured the bench about issuing the ordinance in a week.
In his public interest litigation (PIL), Dubey alleged that authorities have failed to protect his fundamental right to clean air and health by not controlling air pollution.