SC to 'Punish' IIT Bombay for Backing Out of Smog Tower Project

The smog tower project is aimed at tackling the Delhi pollution crisis.

IIT-Bombay has issued a circular to hostel residents.

(Photo: PTI)

The Bombay High Court, in a rebuke to IIT Bombay, informed the institute that it would “punish” them if they continued to back out from the smog tower project, reported NDTV.

The project is aimed at tackling the Delhi pollution crisis. It was in keeping with the court’s December, 2019 order to the Centre and Delhi Governments to install a “smog tower” pilot project at Connaught Place, reported Bar and Bench.

According to the report, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had informed a three-judge Bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and MR Shah that IIT Bombay has backed out and that they were in talks with IIT Delhi and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) for the same.

In response to this Justice Arun Mishra told the Solicitor General that he himself should have objected to IIT Bombay backing out. Justice Mishra also reportedly said:

“How can they back out from a government project? I will draw contempt against them. What is this nonsense? I cannot tolerate this nonsense. We will punish IIT Bombay. How can they back out after 6 months?”   

The bench was reportedly hearing a batch of anti-pollution matters on Wednesday.

(With inputs from NDTV, Bar and Bench.)