New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the central government to file a detailed affidavit about the smog tower project in Delhi's Anand Vihar area after it expressed shock and anger on Wednesday over the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai suddenly backing out of it.
Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta informed the top court that after its remarks, the Centre had contacted IIT, Bombay and others involved in the project, including the
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and prepared a new memorandum of understanding which will be signed by stakeholders soon.
After Mehta informed a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra about the MoU, the court questioned him as to why its January 13 order, directing the project to be completed within three months, was not complied with.
"When the order says that this has to be completed within three months, then why was it not complied with?," the bench asked Mehta, who was appearing for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The bench, which said the MoU be placed on record, also posed queries regarding funds for the project and the time to complete it. Mehta told the court setting up of the smog tower may take around 10 months' time.
When he said the technology will be procured from Minnesota in the USA, the bench questioned the delay in the project and said its orders have been violated.
The bench has posted
the matter for hearing on August 4.