Delhi Air Pollution: Supreme Court Raps Commission For Air Quality Management

With winter approaching and the concern over deteriorating air pollution, the Supreme Court has taken a stringent view of the impending crisis. The top court on Friday rapped the Commission for Air Quality Management over its failure to curb air pollution caused by stubble burning. The apex court came down heavily on the panel for not taking sufficient steps to monitor and curb air pollution in the national capital region.

"Efforts needs to be taken to make sure that use of stubble burning alternative equipment are used at grassroots level," the Court said.

A bench of Justice Abha S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih said the air quality panel needs to be more active in its approach. The top court emphasized the need to implement stubble-burning alternative equipment at the grassroots level. It also instructed the panel to submit a more comprehensive compliance report.

In a stern observation, the apex court stated that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has failed to fulfill its role or achieve its intended purpose. "We cannot say that commission has not taken any action but Amicus is right in saying that it has not performed the way it was expected to ... We are of the view that though Commission has taken certain steps, the Commission needs to be more active and must ensure that its efforts and directions actually translate into reducing the problem of pollution," the Court said.