Delhi Air Pollution - Live Updates From Supreme Court Hearing

CS reads out letter sent to unions.

J Oka: this is about the 90000 workers what about the others?

CS: it is our contention that these are the only live workers which are there in Delhi.

J Oka: should we record your statement? if in turns out to be false please understand the consequence.

CS: the department resume that the number registered is actually number of workers.

J Oka: what is the way out now?

CS: We will issue notice now.

J Oka: Is there any other method to inform?

CS: we have informed the agencies that are employing the workers. 35 unions were informed.

CS: Public notice is issued from time to time.

J Oka: have you issued a single notice after the order of this court calling upon people to register themselves?

CS: No notice was issued.

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan: 12 lakhs registrations from last year have lapsed Mr. Farasat said last time.

J Oka: the government will not make any effort to find out who are the other construction workers and nobody will make any efforts to see that they are paid. This is your approach. You simply say that nobody else has registered. What efforts have you made to see that other construction workers register themselves?

Delhi CS: We will pay tomorrow.

J Oka: Are there only 90k workers?

CS: 90k are registered in the portal.

J Oka: have you made any attempt to find out whether there are any other construction workers in Delhi. Who will do the exercise of finding out the other construction workers? How will the workers know that they have to register on this portal?

J Oka to Delhi CS: Do you want to pay?

CS: We need 10 days to pay.

J Oka: 90000 workers are.eligivle for 8k Rs. When will you pay the rest of the 6k Rs.? You want workers to starve? Now we are issuing contempt notice. This is not done. What is this going on?

J Oka: Have the Secretaries been summoned? The order was applicable for all states.

Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat for Delhi: We have paid 90000 workers, we have paid 2000 each.

Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy for Delhi CS: The statute requires verification. We have released funds to each worker registered. Balance Rs. 6000 we will release today itself.

Matter taken up.