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The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the rising pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR and issued sharp remarks against authorities for failing to implement effective measures. The bench, led by the CJI, stressed the need for both short-term and long-term action plans and demanded detailed reports on steps taken to curb vehicular, industrial and dust pollution.
Delhi-NCR Pollution: Supreme Court Says ‘We Can’t Sit Idle’
New Delhi: In light of the continuously deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court held a suo motu hearing on Monday. Expressing concern over the pollution, a bench headed by the Chief Justice stated that the matter could no longer be left pending. The court clearly stated that "we cannot sit idle" and that the matter should be listed for regular hearing. The next hearing will be held on December 10.
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During the hearing, ASG Aishwarya Bhati stated that the central government has prepared short-term plans to address air pollution and has held meetings with all the concerned states and agencies. The Chief Justice took a stern stance and asked whether any impact of these plans is visible on the ground.
The CJI remarked, "What positive progress has been made with the action plan you have prepared? We need to know this. Firstly, it is not even clear what steps have been taken."
During the hearing, the ASG admitted that the goal of "zero stubble burning" had not been achieved in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Justice responded that stubble burning is not the sole cause of pollution.
He said, "Stubble burning was occurring even during COVID, but the sky was clear then. Farmers burn stubble for economic reasons. This should not be made a political issue."
Citing IIT reports from 2016 and 2023, the ASG stated that vehicles contribute the most to air pollution, followed by road dust and industrial pollution. Stubble burning is only a limited-term problem.
The Supreme Court directed the central and state governments to submit a detailed report within a week, detailing:
During the hearing, a lawyer told the court that vehicles parked on both sides of roads in Delhi are increasing traffic, which in turn contributes to pollution. It was also stated that the number of vehicles in the capital exceeds the combined total of all other metropolitan cities in the country.
The CJI stated that major projects like the metro will help control pollution in the future, but for now, implementing immediate measures is essential.
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The Chief Justice concluded, "We will not allow this matter to linger for long. If it is postponed again, history will repeat itself."
With this, the court scheduled the next hearing for December 10th.
