Supreme Court concerned over alarming pollution levels in city

The Chief Justice of India and a senior lawyer on Monday observed that they and their kin had fallen victims to the “alarming” levels of air pollution in Delhi and favoured wide coverage of the discourse on the matter in the Supreme Court.

Usually critical of the reportage on the observations made during its hearings, the apex court on Monday had a word different on it.

“This is one case where newspapers should report as to what transpired in the court during the hearing,” a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu said.

“My grandson wears <g data-gr-id="23">mask</g> due to pollution,” the CJI said when senior advocate Harish Salve submitted that he had to take <g data-gr-id="24">steroid</g> for the first time a few days ago.

“My wife has asthma. My daughter has asthma and I had to take steroid first time two days back,” Salve said.

“This is a serious issue. We will take up this matter on Thursday. We want <g data-gr-id="25">positive</g> response,” the bench, also comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Adarsh Kumar Goel, said.

Salve, who is the amicus curiae in a 1985 PIL filed by environmentalist M C Mehta, termed the situation as “alarming” and sought urgent intervention of the court before it worsened further with the onset of winter.