Supreme Court Criticizes Delhi Air Quality Panel for Inaction

Supreme Court slams the air quality panel for not doing enough to reduce pollution in Delhi and nearby areas

The Supreme Court of India criticized the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday for not doing enough to tackle air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). Justices Abhay S Oka and AG Masih said the CAQM has not followed the law and has failed to monitor air quality effectively.

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The court pointed out that the CAQM did not form any committees to address air pollution. Justice Oka asked, What steps have you taken? Can you show us any action? He noted that the CAQM provided blur information on what actions they have initiated to communicate with the states in the NCR.

As winter approaches, air quality in the NCR worsens, mainly due to stubble burning in nearby states like Haryana and Punjab. The CAQM chairman, Rajesh Verma, informed the court that the panel meets once every three months. The judges questioned whether this frequency is adequate and if any real progress has been made to reduce stubble burning incidents.

The court also inquired about actions taken against officials who failed to address the issue. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati stated that the chairman had only recently joined the CAQM.

Senior advocate Aprajita Singh, who assisted the court, emphasized that the CAQM has the power to take action against those violating the law. She pointed out that despite spending large sums of money to help farmers stop stubble burning, little progress has been made.

The court stressed the need for effective solutions to replace stubble burning at the grassroots level. It reminded the CAQM that it has significant powers, including the authority to close polluting businesses. The judges concluded that while the commission has taken some steps, it must be more active and ensure its actions lead to a real reduction in pollution.

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