Consider plea against auto festival amid air pollution concerns: Delhi HC to authorities

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked a city district magistrate to look into petition filed against a car and bike festival on NSIC ground, Okhla amid poor air quality in the capital.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said the district magistrate, south-east, was expected to take a decision at the earliest as the event, “Burnout City”, was scheduled to be held on January 17.

The court, while passing the order on a public interest litigation against the event, however, expressed its displeasure at the lack of any scientific data or research in the plea to support its claim of the event worsening air pollution in the area.

The petitioner said “Burnout City” will see vehicles perform “stunts”, which will lead to worse air pollution due to consumption of more fuel.

“Is there any data? The petition seems to be based on speculations by you. No scientific basis is given. You are speculating because of high RPM and vehicles consuming more petrol,” asked the court.

The bench further noted that the petitioner had neither made the Commission for Air Quality Management, which implements the Graded Response Action Plan in the capital, a party nor did it duly serve the plea to the Delhi government standing counsel.

“The district magistrate is not served. Why do you file a petition with such callousness and non-seriousness? The Commission is not a party here,” the court remarked.

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“Without entering into the merits, we require that the district magistrate, south-east, shall look into the grievance raised in the writ petition, especially in the representation dated January 4, as enclosed in the writ petition, and take appropriate decision,” ordered the court.