India's Supreme Court has issued a significant directive to the Delhi government, urging it to find immediate and workable solutions to support the vast number of construction workers left jobless due to pollution-control measures. The apex court's intervention came during a hearing on the severe air quality crisis in the national capital on Wednesday, December 17.
A Call for Pragmatic Solutions
The bench, addressing the government led by Rekha Gupta, emphasized the need for a "pragmatic and practical solution" to the dual problem of air pollution and its economic fallout. The court specifically highlighted the plight of daily wage earners in the construction sector, whose livelihoods have been halted by the enforcement of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions intended to curb toxic air levels.
Verification and Direct Financial Support
In a crucial development, the Supreme Court instructed the Delhi administration to expedite the process of verifying the identities of construction workers impacted by the work bans. The goal is to ensure that financial assistance reaches their bank accounts without delay. During the proceedings, the Delhi government revealed that, out of an estimated 2.5 lakh construction workers in the city, the verification process for 7,000 individuals has been completed. Officials assured the court that funds would be transferred to these verified accounts promptly.
Ensuring Transparency in Fund Transfer
Expressing concern over the integrity of the relief process, the Supreme Court justices added a note of caution. They stated that it should not happen that the money transferred to the workers' accounts "disappears, travels to another account." This remark underscores the court's insistence on a transparent and foolproof mechanism for the direct benefit transfer (DBT), ensuring the aid directly benefits the intended recipients. The court also suggested the government consider providing alternative work opportunities to these labourers during the period of restriction.
The court's order places the onus squarely on the Delhi government to act swiftly, balancing environmental imperatives with urgent humanitarian and economic concerns. The coming days will be critical in seeing how the administration implements these directives to support vulnerable workers while continuing the fight against the capital's perennial air pollution menace.
