SC seeks report on steps being taken to control air pollution in Delhi-NCR

On Wednesday, Priyanka Kakkar, a spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that the air quality in Delhi has been the best this year

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a report from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) regarding steps being taken to control air pollution in and around Delhi.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia took note of submissions from senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the apex court as an amicus curiae on the pollution issue. The submissions concerned the problem of air pollution during winters and also the issue of crop residue burning.

The bench noted that the amicus has highlighted the "serious problem" of air pollution with the approach of winter, as well as crop residue burning. She has submitted that these matters are already under the consideration of the CAQM.

"We call upon the CAQM to urgently submit a report detailing the steps being taken for the control of air pollution in and around the capital," said the bench. The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 31.

On Wednesday, Priyanka Kakkar, a spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), stated that the air quality in Delhi has been the best this year. During a press conference, she said, "In 2022, the air quality in Delhi improved by 8 per cent. In 2023, this improvement reached 31 per cent. According to a report, excluding the Covid period, the air quality in Delhi has been the best in 2023."

As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the overall air quality in the national capital on October 9 continued to remain in the moderate category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 129.

According to the AQI scale, air quality readings between 0 and 50 are considered "good", between 51 and 100 are "satisfactory", between 101 and 200 are "moderate", between 201 and 300 are "poor", between 301 and 400 are "very poor", and between 401 and 450 are "severe". It is categorised as "severe+" when the AQI exceeds 450.

Earlier last week, the Centre's air quality panel directed authorities in the National Capital Region to enforce a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants, and to take punitive measures against polluting industries and thermal power plants as the air quality in Delhi descended into the "poor" category.

This action forms part of the government's pollution control initiative known as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is implemented in the Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution during the winter season.

(With agency inputs)