Delhi gasps: SC to hear plea on worsening pollution levels

New Delhi [India], Nov. 7(ANI): Following the severe crisis in the national capital with has left residents gasping, the Supreme Court on Tuesday will her a plea on the alarming pollution levels in Delhi, which the Environment Pollution Control Authority(EPCA) has termed as worst in 17 years. Amicus Curial Aparajita Singh and EPCA's Sunita Narain in the case sought an early hearing of the matter stating that Delhi is facing an emergency situation. The Amicus states that the apex court's extensive orders to control pollution has not been implemented in letter and spirit by governments of Delhi, Haryana and UP. "It is a public health emergency, we hope that Supreme Court will advise the Government to take some strict measures to clean the air of Delhi," Environmental activist and EPCA member Sunita Narain said. Further the court was told that the pollution in Delhi was caused by the high number of vehicles, unchecked construction, dust on the roads and burning of garbage. This has been compounded by burning of paddy residue by the farmers in Punjab and Haryana the EPCA told the court. "Please treat this petition as a public health emergency and hear it at the earliest", the EPCA also told the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, asserting that the alarming air pollution has become an epidemic in Delhi, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president K.K. Aggarwal called on Delhiites to stay indoors while adding that the particulate matter 10 (pm) and 2.5 has crossed 600 which is hazardous for the people. "We are now calling this as a pollution epidemic. Our advisory to people is to stay at home, if possible work from home and avoid stepping outside the house," he said. The Delhi Government has announced several emergency measures to tackle the unprecedented level of pollution plaguing Delhi and the NCR. Water sprinkling on roads will begin tomorrow and vacuum cleaning measures to deal with dust pollution will start next week. Badarpur thermal power plant will be closed for ten days from Monday. Landfill sites fire will be extinguished and transportation of fly ash will be stopped for 10 days. City government is also planning to bring back Odd Even scheme soon and preparations are already on. The MeT department has forecast little improvement in the current weather condition for the next three days. Cases of respiratory problems have risen in the city with people rushing to medical stored to buy air masks. (ANI)