Jagran Bureau, New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Tuesday strongly reprimanded the Delhi government for not releasing money for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project. The Supreme Court said that you are disobeying the promise given to the court. One week’s time, give the money for the project. If you don’t, the court will transfer the advertising budget to it.
Delhi government has to pay Rs 415 crore
Delhi government has to pay Rs 415 crore in this project. These orders were given by a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia during the ongoing hearing on pollution in Delhi when the issue of Delhi government not paying its share for the RRTS project came up. The RRTS project includes a semi-high speed rail corridor connecting Delhi with Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan and Panipat in Haryana.
The court had given this order on the last hearing
On July 24, during the hearing on the RRTS case, the court had ordered the Delhi government to pay its share of Rs 415 crore. At that time, the court had asked for the accounts of the three years spent on advertising by the Delhi government, according to which the Delhi government had spent about Rs 1100 crore on advertising in three years.
Even at that time, the court had said in its oral remarks that if the Delhi government can spend Rs 1100 crore on advertisements in the last three years, then it can definitely spend it on infrastructure projects also. The court was assured by the Delhi government of paying the money for the project. On Tuesday, the lawyer appearing for the Delhi government said that they have to file a reply in this matter, but the bench expressed displeasure and asked what reply they will give.
Supreme Court reprimanded Delhi government
You have not followed the promise given to the court. Justice Kaul, who was presiding over the bench, said that we had told you on July 24 that we will take your advertising budget. Now we are going to stop the advertising budget. The bench said that though budget management is a matter for the government to look after, but when a project of such national importance is affected and money is spent on advertisement, then the court is inclined to order transfer of that money to the head of this project.
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Court is a project of national importance
The court said that this is a project of national importance, it will also affect pollution. After this, the court wrote in the order that the funds kept for the purpose of advertising should be transferred to this project, but then the lawyer appearing on behalf of the Delhi government requested the court not to give such an order and said that they would need some time to take instructions. Time should be given. On the request of the lawyer, the court postponed its order for a week.
Cannot take the court lightly – Supreme Court
The court said that if the Delhi government does not pay the money within a week, the advertising budget will be transferred to the project. The court ordered the case to be heard again on November 28. In oral remarks, Justice Kaul said that the only way left is for you to listen. You cannot say that it will take not two months but three months. You cannot take this court lightly.
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