The Calcutta High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the hazardous air pollution crisis in the Kolkata–Howrah region after AQI levels touched 330–350. The Court has sought responses from the West Bengal government and concerned authorities, calling the situation a continuing public health emergency.
Taking serious note of deaths caused by contaminated drinking water in Indore, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to appear via video conferencing and explain steps taken to prevent similar incidents across the State. The Court termed the issue a public health emergency and said the right to life under Article 21 includes access to safe and clean drinking water.
The Supreme Court criticized the failure of Delhi agencies to implement the Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016, ordering the chief secretary to convene a meeting with stakeholders to create a time-bound action plan. The court warned of stringent measures if compliance is not met by December 13, revisiting the issue on December 16.
Today(on 26th July), the Supreme Court criticized the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for its failure to enforce Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, deeming Delhi’s waste situation a severe problem. The court directed the Union environment ministry to arrange a meeting with MCD and Delhi government officials to address the crisis. The issue will be further reviewed on September 6.
