The Supreme Court of India has expressed concerns regarding the persistent air pollution in Delhi-NCR and has directed the Centre and concerned authorities to revisit the existing action plan aimed at mitigating the crisis. The court emphasized the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of the current strategies and understanding why the air quality has deteriorated significantly in recent years, despite ongoing efforts.
During a hearing on Monday, the Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, questioned the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), about the various factors contributing to air pollution besides stubble burning. The court pointed out that it is unfair to solely blame farmers for the pollution, especially when they lack adequate representation in the proceedings. The bench stressed the need for a comprehensive scientific analysis of all contributing factors.
"Why don't you make a revisit to your action plan to see for yourself that have you brought any effective changes? And if you have then are they less than what needed? We think it's important to evaluate, has any of your action plan has been proved to be effective or ineffective or less effective? Despite your hesitance, confidence, of whether you'd be able achieve effective change, is it not right to revisit action plan? Evaluation of steps you have taken so far," CJI Kant said.
The Supreme Court also raised a pertinent question about the drastic change in air quality, stating, "Stubble-burning was happening as usual. Why could people see blue skies 4-5 years ago? Why couldn't they see now?". This observation underscores the need to identify and address the factors that have exacerbated the pollution problem in recent times.
The issue of holding farmers solely responsible for the pollution crisis was a key point of discussion. The court acknowledged that stubble burning has been a long-standing practice, but it questioned whether it is the only, or even the primary, cause of the current severe pollution levels. The court's remark highlights the plight of farmers who often resort to stubble burning due to a lack of viable alternatives and financial incentives. It also draws attention to the fact that they are often blamed without being given a chance to present their perspective.
The Supreme Court has scheduled further hearings on the air pollution matter at least twice a month. While acknowledging that the situation might improve temporarily after the winter season, the court expressed concern that the problem would likely recur, emphasizing that "history will repeat itself". The next hearing is scheduled for December 10.
The court's intervention comes at a time when Delhi's air quality remains poor. On Monday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 299 at 7 am, which was an increase from 279 at 4 pm on Sunday. The court had previously directed the CAQM to submit an action plan to prevent further deterioration of air quality.
