Supreme Court lists Delhi‑NCR smog case for November 12: Will the air crisis finally trigger action?

As dangerous smog engulfs Delhi and the National Capital Region and evidence mounts that monitoring systems failed during Diwali, the Supreme Court will hear the matter on November 12, will this judicial intervention lead to meaningful relief for millions choking on polluted air?

New Delhi: The apex court flagged a serious gap in the pollution‑monitoring apparatus across Delhi. Counsel appearing before the bench revealed that of the 37 designated monitoring stations in Delhi only nine were functioning during the key Diwali period, a time when pollution is known to spike. This raised a fundamental question: how can authorities decide when to trigger the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) or impose bans when the data themselves are suspect? The bench directed the CAQM and CPCB to file a fresh affidavit detailing not only corrective steps but also the status of all stations and reasons for delay.

Why the Air Crisis Persists?

While crop‑residue burning in states like Punjab and Haryana remains a major contributor to the smog in Delhi‑NCR, experts point to multiple fault‑lines. Vehicle emissions, industrial pollutants and weather conditions that trap particulate matter close to the ground all combine to push the AQI into “very poor” or worse categories each winter. The presence of dysfunctional monitoring stations further weakens the system of pre‑emptive action. Without reliable triggers, curbs risk being delayed until it is too late.

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What’s at Stake on November 12?

When the Supreme Court hears the pollution case on November 12, several core issues will be under scrutiny:

• The operational readiness of the monitoring network and whether data flows are reliable enough to trigger timely interventions.
• Whether authorities acted early, rather than reacting after pollution reached crisis levels.
• Accountability for institutional failures and whether judicial oversight can translate into better governance on the ground.
• The court has already made clear that governments have a constitutional duty to ensure a clean environment, but executing that duty effectively remains the challenge.

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Why Authorities Must Move Beyond Orders?

Judicial directives alone cannot clear the air. For change to be tangible and sustained, the following are critical:

• All monitoring stations must be brought back to full functionality with real‑time data publicly available.
• The GRAP must be triggered based on robust thresholds, not delayed because of administrative lag.
• States in the NCR region must coordinate strongly, since pollution crosses borders, solutions must too.
• Citizens must be kept informed about air‑quality levels and preventive measures, and private actions (such as vehicle usage, open burning) must also be addressed.