The Central government on Tuesday submitted before the Supreme Court that it will apprise it by August 10, when the work can be started on installing smog tower to control air pollution in the national capital.
A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that project to install smog tower will take 10 months and foundation will start immediately.
Mehta further submitted that the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay) will oversee the smog tower project, TATA will look at the installation, and the Centre will do the funding.
Earlier, Justice Mishra had warned IIT Bombay of contempt proceedings after learning that it has backed out of a court-ordered project to install smog tower in Delhi.
Mehta had told the apex court that IIT Bombay has backed out from the project, following which the bench said that it has to proceed against IIT Bombay and other authorities for delaying the order of the court.
"How can they back out from a government project? We will draw contempt against them (IIT Bombay). What is this nonsense? They cannot withdraw from the project like this. How can they back out from the Central government after this court passed orders? We will punish IIT Bombay. How can they back out after six months?" Justice Mishra had remarked.
A smog tower is a structure designed as large-scale air purifiers to reduce pollution particles in surrounding areas.
The top court had in December last year granted three months to the Centre and the Delhi government to set up a smog tower in Delhi to deal with air pollution.
Before passing the order, the judges had discussed the issue with an IIT Bombay Professor, who is part of the high-level committee examining various technologies, including smog guns, to combat air pollution.
( With inputs from ANI )