Central Vista doesn't cause air pollution, follows waste management rules, Centre to SC

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that the construction activities for the new parliamentary building and the Central Vista avenue site comply with construction and demolition waste management rules, and do not cause any pollution.

It also termed both "projects of national importance".

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to explain within two days, why Central Vista project construction should carry on, despite severe air pollution in the capital. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing petitioner Aditya Dubey, had urged a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana to stop construction activities at the project site.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in an affidavit, said: "So far as parliamentary building and the Central Vista avenue site is concerned, it complies with construction and demolition (C&D) waste management rules and each and every condition which is put to ensure that it does not cause any pollution."

The affidavit further added that all measures contemplated under C&D waste management rules have been taken, which, inter-alia, includes measures like use of anti-smog gun, mist spray system, use of dust suppressants like magnesium chloride, use of conveyor belt to transfer construction material, and keeping all construction material in wet condition.

Singh had argued that construction work at small projects were stopped, which directly impacted the labourers, but construction activity at the Central Vista project was carried at full -swing. He had questioned whether Central Vista was more important than the lives of crores of Delhi residents.

The top court asked Centre and Delhi government to explain construction activities under progress in their respective jurisdiction in the capital.

The Centre had said all construction activities in Delhi by the Central Public Works Department have been stopped in compliance with top court's directions to curb air pollution, except the Central Vista redevelopment which is a project of "national importance".

On November 24, the top court had reimposed the construction ban in the national capital region (NCR) against the backdrop of deteriorating air quality in the NCR.

The top court will take up the matter on Thursday.

A special bench is hearing a plea by the 17-year-old Delhi student in connection with severe air pollution in the capital.