The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the South-East District Magistrate to examine a petition raising concerns over the upcoming car and bike festival ‘Burnout City’ scheduled to be held on January 17 at the NSIC Ground, Okhla. The direction came in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) that objected to the event in light of Delhi’s poor air quality.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, while considering the petition, refrained from making any observations on the merits of the case but asked the district magistrate to take a decision “at the earliest” after considering the issues raised.
During the hearing, the bench expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the petition was filed, noting the absence of scientific data to support the petitioner’s claims. The plea had alleged that the stunt-based motor event would aggravate air pollution in the area due to high fuel consumption and emissions from vehicles performing high RPM stunts.
“Is there any data? The petition seems to be based on speculations by you. No scientific basis is given. You are speculating because of high RPM and vehicles consuming more petrol,” the bench remarked, questioning the petitioner’s assumptions.
The court also took note of procedural lapses in the filing of the PIL, observing that the petitioner had failed to implead the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) — the statutory authority overseeing the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi — as a respondent in the case.
Further, the standing counsel for the Delhi government and the district magistrate were not duly served with the petition either.
“The district magistrate is not served. Why do you file a petition with such callousness and non-seriousness? The Commission is not a party here,” the court said, expressing displeasure over the incomplete pleadings.
While declining to delve into the merits of the petitioner’s claims, the High Court directed: “Without entering into the merits, we require that the district magistrate, south-east, shall look into the grievance raised in the writ petition, especially in the representation dated January 4, as enclosed in the writ petition, and take appropriate decision.”
The event “Burnout City” is expected to feature automobile stunts and performances, prompting concerns about its environmental impact in an already pollution-struck capital.
The matter will now rest with the district administration, which has been asked to respond swiftly given the approaching date of the event.
