Today, On 18th November, The Supreme Court will hear a case regarding pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas. It has questioned the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on why proactive measures were not implemented before air quality reached the “severe” category. The court’s intervention highlights its concern over escalating environmental issues. Authorities are expected to provide explanations and outline corrective steps.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court addressed the deteriorating air quality in Delhi, questioning the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) about the lack of pre-emptive measures taken before the air quality reached the “severe” category.
Justice Abhay S. Oka, leading the bench hearing the MC Mehta case concerning Delhi’s pollution, agreed to consider the matter urgently on Monday. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, pointed out that the air quality index (AQI) had soared to 473, the worst recorded this season, as Delhi was shrouded in thick smog.
Singh emphasized,
“This court had permitted the CAQM to take pre-emptive measures. Nothing has been done so far.”
The court noted that it would take the issue up on Monday since it is closed on Friday.
Singh questioned,
“Why do we want to become the most polluted city in the world before some action can be taken?”
She explained that the CAQM had been informed about the situation and needed to explain their inaction in implementing Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which could have included measures like recommending online classes for primary schools and banning construction activities.
Despite a meeting on Wednesday evening, when the AQI was already at 418 (indicating severe pollution), the CAQM chose not to implement Stage 3, citing forecasts of improvement. Unfortunately, conditions worsened overnight.
Earlier in the week, the court had asserted that living in a pollution-free environment is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution and suggested a permanent ban on firecrackers in Delhi. The court also criticized Punjab and Haryana for failing to prosecute farmers and officials responsible for the burning of paddy stubble, a significant contributor to winter pollution in Delhi.
In previous hearings, the Supreme Court asked the Delhi government to report on measures taken to curb pollution from various sources, identifying key pollutants such as vehicular emissions, open burning of waste, heavy truck entry, and industrial pollution. Thirteen hotspots in Delhi have been identified where PM10 and PM2.5 levels exceed critical thresholds.
A clean action plan addressing these hotspots was developed by the Delhi government in 2019, but tangible improvements have been minimal.
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