SC to hear plea on air pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR on Dec 17

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will list for hearing on December 17 a plea related to worsening air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pamcholi took note of the submissions of senior advocate Aprajita Singh, who is assisting it as an amicus curiae, that though the preventive measures are there in place but the key issue was of their poor implementation by the authorities.

Singh said till this court directs something, the authorities do not comply with the protocols which are already there.

“This is coming up before a three judges bench on Wednesday. It will come up,” the CJI said.

Another lawyer referred to an application relating to the health issue of children, and said schools, despite the earlier orders, are holding outdoor sports activities.

“Despite the order of this court, Schools have found ways and means to have these sporting activities.. it is taking place. The CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management) is again citing the order of this court,” the amicus also said.

“We know the problem and let us pass orders which can be complied with. There are some directions which can be forcibly imposed. In these urban metropolitan cities people have their own lifestyle. But the poor…,” the CJI said.

The amicus said the poor labourers are the worst ones to suffer.

Earlier the bench had said the plea against air pollution cannot be treated as a “customary” case to be listed only during the winter months only.

It had said the case will be taken twice in a month to find out short and long-term solutions to the menace.

Delhi on Monday choked under a thick blanket of smog, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 498, which falls in the higher spectrum of ‘severe’ category.

The air quality was ‘severe’ at 38 stations while it was ‘very poor’ at two stations. Jahangirpuri, which recorded an AQI of 498, recorded the worst air quality amongst all 40 stations.

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According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.

The AQI in Delhi had climbed to 461 on Sunday and marked the city’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.