On Tuesday, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna said all the judges have been asked to allow virtual hearings wherever possible in view of the severe pollution levels in the national capital region. As soon as the bench comprising the CJI and Justice Sanjay Kumar assembled, lawyers, including Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Kapil Sibal, referred to the worsening pollution in Delhi and NCR and sought immediate measures to deal with it.
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The CJI said, “We have told all the judges to allow virtual hearings wherever possible”. Sibal said, “Pollution is getting out of control”. He was supported by various lawyers that also included Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Gopal Sankaranarayanan. “It needs to go down. The message should go to other courts,” Sibal added. The solicitor general said the top court, as a matter of principle, should go virtual.
“We have given the message to accommodate everybody. Moreover, online is anyway available,” the CJI said. On Monday, the top court took note of the fact that the Air Quality Index (AQI) entered into the ‘severe plus’ category and directed all Delhi-NCR states to immediately set up teams to strictly enforce anti-pollution GRAP 4 restrictions, making it clear that the curbs will continue till further orders. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 484 at 8 am on Monday, the worst this season. The AQI in certain areas also breached the 500 mark.
Meanwhile, the Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad administration have ordered the suspension of physical classes till Class 12 in all schools due to the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR. As per the order, studies will continue in online mode due to poor air quality.
The decision was announced as Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was imposed in the Delhi-NCR, which also includes the two western Uttar Pradesh districts. “In view of the above, all schools of the District Gautam Buddh Nagar are directed to adhere to action enlisted under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan. Accordingly, it is directed that all schools shall discontinue physical classes from Pre-School to Class 12 till November 23 and conduct classes in online mode only,” GB Nagar District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said in an order.
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