Today, On 27th August, The Supreme Court directed the Chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to outline the measures being implemented to control stubble burning and reduce pollution levels. This action comes as concerns grow over the impact of stubble burning on air quality, particularly in northern India.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticized the pollution control boards of Delhi-NCR for being “ineffective” due to a shortage of staff and demanded an explanation from the body responsible for air quality management in the region.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih directed the Chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to attend the next hearing virtually and clarify the steps being taken to address pollution and stubble burning, which expected to worsen with the onset of winter.
The bench stated,
“Currently, there are a significant number of vacant posts in the state pollution control boards, rendering them ineffective… We therefore call upon the chairman of CAQM to remain present through video conferencing on the next date of hearing and explain what steps the commission proposes to take,”
The bench expressed concerns about the functionality of the sub-committee on safeguarding and enforcement, which the CAQM set to establish, given the absence of representation from the state pollution control boards of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh due to numerous vacancies.
The court directed these five NCR states to urgently fill the vacant positions, ideally by April 30, 2025.
Furthermore, the bench instructed the CAQM Chairperson to submit an affidavit detailing the measures the commission plans to implement to combat air pollution, particularly the issue of paddy straw burning in states surrounding the national capital. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 2.
During the proceedings, senior advocate Aprajita Singh, serving as an amicus curiae, informed the bench about the significant number of vacancies in all state pollution control boards within the Delhi-NCR region. She highlighted that under the CAQM Act of 2021, the commission is required to take actions to reduce pollution and form sub-committees with representatives from the NCR states to enforce its directives.
Singh argued,
“We are almost in September, and soon the issues of stubble burning and pollution will arise due to the non-functional state pollution boards. With so many vacancies, it will be challenging to enforce the directives issued by CAQM,”
The bench criticized the “sorry state of affairs” within the pollution control boards, which are statutory bodies.
Rajasthan’s counsel acknowledged that 395 out of 808 sanctioned positions in the state’s pollution control board are vacant.
He explained,
“Of the 395 vacancies, 115 will be filled within the next two months as the process is already underway. The remaining positions will be filled through promotions, but this will take some time,”
The court expressed its displeasure over the significant number of vacant positions in state pollution boards and cautioned that it would summon the chairpersons if these vacancies were not filled promptly.
The counsel for the Delhi government informed the court that out of 344 sanctioned positions in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), 233 are currently vacant. The bench highlighted the “sad state of affairs” in the capital and directed the Delhi government to fill these vacancies by April 30, 2025.
Similarly, the court noted that in Punjab, 314 out of 652 sanctioned positions remain unfilled, and ordered the state government to complete the hiring process by the same deadline. The bench issued a similar directive for Haryana, where 202 of the 483 sanctioned posts are vacant. In Uttar Pradesh, the court was informed that around 350 posts are vacant in the state pollution control board, and efforts are underway to address the shortfall.