Story by Bahari Duniya | Written by Ranjan Sharma
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply rebuked India’s central air pollution authority, stating it was “neglecting its responsibilities” after the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) requested a two-month delay to address the issue of easing traffic at Delhi’s toll plazas to combat rising pollution levels.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi instructed the CAQM to organize a meeting of experts within the next two weeks and present a comprehensive report identifying the key contributors to the city’s deteriorating air quality.
“Have you been able to pinpoint the sources of pollution? For weeks, research, articles, and public feedback have been flooding in, yet no decisive action has been taken,” the bench remarked, emphasizing the urgency of accountability and immediate intervention.
“Heavy vehicles are a major contributor, so the key question is how we tackle this issue… Calling a meeting on January 2 and then seeking a two-month delay is simply unacceptable,” the bench remarked, according to PTI, adding that the CAQM was “falling short of its responsibilities.”
The Supreme Court directed the commission to start implementing long-term measures in a phased manner, while also addressing the toll plaza problem independently of pressures or opinions from different stakeholders.
Earlier, noting the dangerously high pollution levels in Delhi-NCR, the top court had instructed the National Highways Authority of India and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to explore the temporary closure or relocation of nine toll plazas at the city’s borders to ease heavy traffic and curb vehicular emissions.
The court directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to decide within a week on whether the toll plazas could be temporarily closed to ease traffic congestion. It emphasized that existing pollution-control measures must be fully enforced rather than just drafted as guidelines that remain unimplemented on the ground.
The bench, however, chose not to challenge the Delhi government’s decision to shut schools for students from nursery to Class 5, noting that the winter vacation was imminent and no further adjustments were necessary.
The court also highlighted the need to protect workers affected by pollution-related restrictions, instructing the Delhi government to promptly verify the status of construction laborers and ensure that financial aid reaches their bank accounts directly. Officials reported that around 7,000 workers had been verified so far out of nearly 2.5 lakh registered laborers.
Cautioning against any diversion of funds, the bench emphasized that financial aid must reach the intended beneficiaries and urged the government to explore alternative employment opportunities for workers rendered idle by pollution-related restrictions.
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Noting that severe air pollution has become a recurring issue during winters, the court directed the CAQM and NCR governments to review and reinforce long-term strategies, including improvements in urban mobility, stricter traffic management, and stronger measures to curb stubble burning.