SC to Hear Delhi-NCR Pollution Plea on December 17
Court flags poor implementation of anti-pollution measures as AQI touches ‘severe’ levels
- Supreme Court to hear air pollution plea on December 17
- Court flags weak enforcement of existing pollution control measures
- Amicus raises concern over children’s health, outdoor school activities
- Delhi AQI hits 498, among worst pollution days this winter
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 15th Dec: The Supreme Court on Monday said it will list for hearing on December 17 a plea related to worsening air pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region, amid rising concern over poor implementation of existing pollution control measures.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pamcholi took note of submissions made by senior advocate Aprajita Singh, assisting the court as amicus curiae. She said that while preventive mechanisms exist on paper, the core problem lies in their ineffective implementation by authorities.
“Till this court directs something, the authorities do not comply with the protocols which are already there,” Singh submitted. Responding to this, the Chief Justice said the matter would come up before a three-judge bench on Wednesday. “This is coming up before a three judges bench on Wednesday. It will come up,” he said.
During the hearing, another lawyer referred to an application highlighting health concerns of children and pointed out that schools were continuing outdoor sports activities despite earlier court directions. Supporting this, the amicus curiae said schools were finding ways to bypass the court’s orders, while the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) continued to cite Supreme Court directives.
“We know the problem and let us pass orders which can be complied with. There are some directions which can be forcibly imposed,” the Chief Justice observed, adding that while urban residents may adapt their lifestyles, the poor bear the brunt of the pollution crisis. The amicus emphasised that daily wage labourers are the worst affected.
The bench reiterated that the air pollution matter cannot be treated as a “customary” case to be heard only during winter months. Earlier, the court had decided to monitor the issue twice every month to explore both short-term and long-term solutions.
Delhi continued to reel under a thick blanket of smog on Monday, with the Air Quality Index settling at 498, falling in the higher range of the ‘severe’ category. Out of 40 monitoring stations, air quality was recorded as ‘severe’ at 38 locations and ‘very poor’ at two. Jahangirpuri reported the worst air quality with an AQI of 498.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI of 401–500 is classified as ‘severe’. The AQI had already climbed to 461 on Sunday, marking Delhi’s most polluted day this winter and the second-worst December air quality day on record, as weak winds and low temperatures trapped pollutants close to the surface.
