Workers at a construction site, amid hazy weather conditions, in Delhi. (Representational Pic)
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to ensure that there is no smog in Delhi-NCR as it was informed that the commission for air quality management will start functioning from today. A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian posted the pleas related to air pollution for hearing after the Diwali vacation.
The Centre on Thursday appointed former Chief Secretary of Delhi M M Kutty chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas.
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Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed the bench that the commission on Air Quality Management will start functioning from Friday and the government has appointed members of the commission as well.
On October 29, the top court was informed by the Centre that it has come out with an Ordinance on curbing pollution and it has been promulgated already.
Former Delhi chief secretary MM Kutty to head new air quality panel
Former chief secretary of Delhi MM Kutty was on Thursday appointed chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, according to a Personnel Ministry order. Besides him, Professor Mukesh Khare, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi and Ramesh KJ, Ex-Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD) have been appointed as the full-time technical members of the Commission, it said. Arvind Kumar Nautiyal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will be the full-time member of the panel, the order said.
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They have been appointed for a term of three years w.e.f. the date of assumption of charge of the post, or until attainment of the age of 70 years.
Kutty, a 1985 batch IAS officer of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories or AGMUT cadre, retired as Petroleum Secretary in April this year.
