Supreme Court Urges Review of Delhi Air Pollution Strategies
The Supreme Court has directed the central government and relevant authorities to re-examine their strategies for tackling air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The court questioned the effectiveness of current measures and emphasized the need for a comprehensive evaluation.
Concerns Over Current Action Plan
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Kant, as quoted by ANI, stated that it's crucial to evaluate whether the existing action plan has led to any effective changes. The court questioned whether the changes were sufficient and if a revisit to the action plan was necessary, regardless of confidence in achieving effective change. The court emphasized the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of steps taken so far.
Beyond Stubble Burning: Examining All Factors
The Supreme Court also questioned Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), about the various factors contributing to increased air pollution levels beyond just stubble burning.
Fairness to Farmers
The court highlighted the unfairness of solely blaming farmers for the pollution, especially as they lack representation in the proceedings. The bench stressed the need to investigate other scientific factors contributing to the rising air pollution levels.
Historical Perspective
The Supreme Court raised a critical point about the visibility of clear skies in the past, questioning why such visibility is no longer possible despite stubble burning being a persistent issue. "Stubble-burning was happening as usual. Why could people see blue-skies 4-5 years ago. Why couldn't they see now?", SC said.
Regular Monitoring and Future Hearings
The court announced that it would address the air pollution issue at least twice a month. While acknowledging potential improvements after winter, the court expressed concern about the cyclical nature of the problem.
The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for December 10.