NEW DELHI: The
Supreme Court on Monday granted
three months’ time to the Centre and
Delhi government to set up the
first smog tower in the capital as part of measures to deal with
air pollution. The first tower will be set up in Connaught Place in the heart of the city.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta turned down the Centre’s plea that sought nine months’ time for setting up the tower. It said if Centre and Delhi government work together, the task could be easily done within three months.
The bench also asked the Centre to give details of other technologies like smog guns, which could be deployed to curb pollution levels in the city.
It asked the Centre to file a report by Tuesday so that it could pass order before the winter break.
“How many smog guns are required? Who will give the funds for it? What is the cost of one smog gun? Who will purchase it and who will bear the cost? By tomorrow (Tuesday), you inform us about all this. We will pass order,” the bench said.
The bench was earlier informed by an IIT professor, who is involved in
smog tower project, that the large air purifying machines can reduce pollution levels by 65%. He said the machines would be built and set up in collaboration with a Chinese company.