Supreme Court Calls Upon Chief Secretaries of Delhi and NCR States Due to Workers' Compensation Issues
Click to start listening
New Delhi, Dec 2 (NationPress) The Supreme Court on Monday summoned the Chief Secretaries of Delhi and the neighboring NCR states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan for their failure to disburse subsistence allowances to construction workers during the halting of construction activities as per the GRAP-IV regulations.
A Bench led by Justices Abhay S. Oka and A.G. Masih was reviewing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning pollution control in Delhi and its surrounding NCR region.
The Justice Oka-led Bench stated that the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan must be present before the apex court on December 5 at 3:30 P.M.
Additionally, the court allowed state governments to submit affidavits regarding the release of compensation to construction workers.
“We are not mandating their physical presence; they can join via video conferencing to ensure all states grasp the gravity of the situation. Summoning high-ranking officials is crucial for progress,” the apex court remarked.
When a counsel from the Rajasthan government argued that funds had been allocated to each district, the Supreme Court expressed its expectation that at least one state should have disbursed subsistence allowances to a 'considerable number' of construction workers by now.
The court warned that if substantial compliance regarding the payment of amounts to construction workers was not reported, it would contemplate initiating contempt proceedings against the negligent officials.
In a prior hearing, the Supreme Court had instructed Delhi and NCR governments to utilize the funds accrued as labor cess for the welfare of construction workers by granting them weekly subsistence allowances during the prohibition of construction activities.
"The Commission for Air Quality Management possesses comprehensive powers under Section 12(1) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 to direct various authorities to implement measures ensuring that vulnerable groups, including laborers and daily wage workers, do not suffer. Therefore, we compel the Commission to urgently address this issue by issuing necessary directives," it ordered.
The apex court also mandated the Commission to swiftly take action against defaulting officials and parties due to the inadequate enforcement of Stage IV of the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) in Delhi-NCR.
It noted that unless the apex court was assured of a consistent decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI), it could not allow any relaxation of Stage IV norms.
