NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the failure of several air quality monitoring stations in Delhi during Diwali, observing that authorities cannot wait for pollution levels to hit the “severe” mark before acting.
During the hearing of the MC Mehta case, a bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to file an affidavit outlining the steps taken to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the Delhi-NCR region.
Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, appearing as amicus curiae, flagged alarming media reports that many monitoring stations were non-functional during Diwali - a period when pollution typically spikes.
"There are newspapers after newspapers saying that monitoring stations are non-functional. If the monitoring stations are not even functioning, we don't even know when to implement GRAP (graded response action plan)… Out of 37 monitoring stations, only nine were functioning continuously on the day of Diwali," she said.
Calling for urgent corrective measures, the amicus urged the bench to ensure that CAQM submits comprehensive data and a clear action plan. She reminded the court that earlier directives had emphasised pre-emptive steps, not reactive ones, once pollution levels worsen.
Taking note of her submission, the bench said, “The CAQM is required to place on record an affidavit as to what steps are proposed to be taken to prevent the pollution from turning severe.”
Responding to the court’s direction, the counsel for CAQM said that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is primarily responsible for monitoring air quality data. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati assured the bench that all concerned agencies would file the required report soon.
Earlier, on October 15, the CJI-led bench had permitted the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during Diwali under regulated conditions, aiming to strike a balance between tradition and public health. The relaxation was allowed only on a “test case basis” and limited to specific dates.
The bench had also directed the CPCB and state pollution boards to monitor air quality between October 14 and 25 and submit a detailed report -- a directive that now comes under renewed scrutiny amid questions over the functioning of the monitoring network itself.
During the hearing of the MC Mehta case, a bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to file an affidavit outlining the steps taken to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the Delhi-NCR region.
Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, appearing as amicus curiae, flagged alarming media reports that many monitoring stations were non-functional during Diwali - a period when pollution typically spikes.
"There are newspapers after newspapers saying that monitoring stations are non-functional. If the monitoring stations are not even functioning, we don't even know when to implement GRAP (graded response action plan)… Out of 37 monitoring stations, only nine were functioning continuously on the day of Diwali," she said.
Calling for urgent corrective measures, the amicus urged the bench to ensure that CAQM submits comprehensive data and a clear action plan. She reminded the court that earlier directives had emphasised pre-emptive steps, not reactive ones, once pollution levels worsen.
Taking note of her submission, the bench said, “The CAQM is required to place on record an affidavit as to what steps are proposed to be taken to prevent the pollution from turning severe.”
Responding to the court’s direction, the counsel for CAQM said that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is primarily responsible for monitoring air quality data. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati assured the bench that all concerned agencies would file the required report soon.
Earlier, on October 15, the CJI-led bench had permitted the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during Diwali under regulated conditions, aiming to strike a balance between tradition and public health. The relaxation was allowed only on a “test case basis” and limited to specific dates.
The bench had also directed the CPCB and state pollution boards to monitor air quality between October 14 and 25 and submit a detailed report -- a directive that now comes under renewed scrutiny amid questions over the functioning of the monitoring network itself.
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