‘If you can run marathon in Delhi, you can run anywhere’

If you can run a marathon in Delhi you can run anywhere, the Delhi High Court on Friday said while referring to the “hazardous” air pollution levels here and suggested measures like immediate extinguishing of landfill fires and ensuring only CNG taxis enter the national Capital to improve air quality.

“If anyone can run a marathon in Delhi, they can run anywhere,” a Bench of justices B D Ahmed and Jayant Nath said after it was informed that despite the high pollution levels there was going to be a marathon in the city on November 20. The court, however, asked the Delhi government to issue an advisory for the public informing them about the air quality which the bench noted contained pollutants four times more than the prescribed standard.

Observing that factors like fires in landfill sites, stubble burning in neighbouring states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, plying of all India permit diesel cabs in the city, fireworks, road dust and construction work pollute the air, the Bench issued a slew of directions to address each of them.

On the issue of diesel cabs plying in the city, the court was told by amicus curiae, 

senior advocate Kailash Vasdev, that of the 1,84,000 taxis in the city, 88,623 were running on diesel.