From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: In a setback to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order appointing him as head of a high-level committee to address the issue of pollution in Yamuna.
Saying the LG is just a “figurehead” and cannot be given authority outside his turf, the AAP government on Wednesday (5 July) moved the Supreme Court to challenge the NGT’s decision. In the Supreme Court, the Delhi Government argued that the NGT order violates the constitutional scheme of governance in Delhi as well as the 2018 and 2023 orders of the Constitution Bench of SC.
“These powers encroach upon areas exclusively under the competence of the elected government of Delhi,” said the government as it requested the apex court to quash the NGT order.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud as well as Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra issued notice on a plea by the Delhi government challenging the NGT order passed on January 9.
Delhi government raised strong objections to the executive powers bestowed upon the LG through the NGT order. These powers, according to the Delhi government, encroach upon areas exclusively under its competence.
Accordingly, the government contended that the issue of pollution in the river should be overseen by the elected head of government, the Chief Minister in this case.
The committee, comprising various authorities, was formed in January. It includes the chief secretary, secretaries of the Irrigation, Forest and Environment, Agriculture, and Finance Departments of the Delhi Government, the chief executive officer of the Delhi Jal Board, the vice chairman of the Delhi Development Authority, a representative from the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the director-general of forests or his nominee from the Union Ministry of Environment, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and others
