The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Commission for Air Quality Management to submit a status report after learning that most of Delhi’s air quality monitoring stations were not working during Diwali, making it difficult to track pollution levels as the city choked under “very poor” air quality.
Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who was assisting the bench as amicus curiae, told the court that only nine out of the 37 monitoring stations were functional during the festivities. She wondered how the GRAP was supposed to function when there was no proper data on the air quality.
“If the monitoring stations are not even functioning, we won’t know when to implement the GRAP. They have to act before it becomes severe,” Singh told the bench.
CJI Gavai Orders Report on Pre-emptive Steps
A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, taking note of the issue, ordered both the CAQM and the Central Pollution Control Board to submit a detailed report on steps being taken to prevent the air quality from deteriorating further.
It said, “The CPCB shall, in coordination with the State Pollution Control Boards and their respective regional offices, monitor the air quality index in their areas of jurisdiction from October 14 to 25 and file a report specifying the air quality of each day”.
The court has ordered regional offices to collect samples of sand and water from the most polluted areas to analyze the wider environmental impact. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/supreme-court-seeks-caqm-affidavit-on-pre-emptive-measures-to-tackle-pollution/article70236033.ece
‘Very Poor’ Air Quality Persists Post-Diwali
The court’s intervention came as Delhi continues to battle toxic smog days after Diwali. On Monday morning, the national capital recorded an overall AQI of 316 while at least 28 monitoring stations recorded “very poor” air quality, each registering readings above 300.
Although the Supreme Court had allowed bursting of only green crackers from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali on October 20, fireworks continued till late night adding to the pollution levels.
Delhi’s current AQI continues to be among the worst in four years and marks a consecutive year that festival-related pollution, vehicle emissions, and stagnant weather have combined to trap toxic particles over the city.
Concerns on Data Manipulation
Meanwhile, the media reports presented in court also showed that Delhi government water tankers sprinkled water at the premises at the site of air quality monitoring stations to artificially lower the AQI. Though unconfirmed, these claims added to the skepticism on the question of accuracy and transparency in data.
The court, though noting the seriousness of the allegations, did not make any observations at this stage and said the report by CAQM would enlighten the ground situation.
‘Act Before It Turns Severe,’ Says Amicus
Singh has asked the court to direct the CAQM and CPCB to take preventive measures before the situation actually reaches the “severe” category that requires such actions under the Graded Response Action Plan.
GRAP divides the air pollution levels into four categories:
- Poor,
- Very Poor
- Severe
- Severe Plus
Authorities will take different measures, including restricting vehicles, banning construction activities, and closing polluting industries. “If we do not have correct monitoring data, we cannot know as to when to initiate these measures.
The system has to be fixed before we face another emergency,” Singh said. Medical experts caution citizens to stay indoors. Health experts have sounded the alarm over Delhi’s deteriorating air quality, calling on the public, including children, the elderly, and people with respiratory illnesses, to avoid outdoor exposure.
Some doctors have urged vulnerable citizens to leave the city temporarily until things get better. “Prolonged exposure to this level of PM2.5 and PM10 can cause severe respiratory distress. People suffering from asthma or heart disease are at high risk,” Dr. R.K. Sharma, a pulmonologist at AIIMS Delhi, says.
Next Hearing
After CAQM Submits Report The bench has now asked the CAQM to file an affidavit listing the preventive and emergency measures it has planned for the coming weeks. Hearing will continue, after the report is filed. With the air quality in Delhi stuck in the “very poor” category and with crucial data missing during Diwali, the latest intervention of the Supreme Court conveys a familiar yet pressing message: without accountability, the annual smog crisis that engulfs the capital will worsen.
Related: Delhi Air Turns Toxic Again: GRAP Stage II Restrictions Imposed as AQI Crosses 300
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