'Only If We Summon Top Officers, Ball Will Start Rolling' : Supreme Court Summons Chief Secretaries Of NCR States For Not Paying Workers' Allowances

The Supreme Court on Monday (December 2) expressed anguish at the fact the States of the National Capital Region - Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh & Haryana- have failed to pay subsistence allowance to the workers who are out of work due to the ban on construction activities in NCR due to the imposition of GRAP-IV measures to tackle air pollution in NCR.

A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih asked the Chief Secretaries to appear, either physically or virtually, on Thursday at 3 PM. In the meanwhile, the States can file affidavits showing compliance of the directions, the bench clarified.

When a counsel appearing for one of the States pleaded to not pass such a direction, Justice Oka said, "Only if we summon the top officers, the ball will start rolling."

The bench noted in its order that none of the States have been able to show that anyone has been paid. "We make it clear that unless substantial compliance with actual payment of amounts to the construction workers is reported we will have to consider initiating action against the contempt of courts act against erring officers," the Court warned.

In the order passed on November 25, the Court had directed all the NCR States to use the funds which have been collected as labour cess for the welfare of the construction workers by providing them weekly subsistence allowance forthe period during which the construction activities are prohibited.

Live updates from today's hearing in the Delhi air pollution matter can be read here.