Delhi air pollution: The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea on Monday, seeking enforcement of measures to tackle air pollution in national capital as the city woke up to hazardous air quality on Sunday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded in the “severe” category.
At 9 am, the AQI stood at 429, according to the ‘Sameer App’, which provides hourly updates from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On Saturday, the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 417 at 4 pm.
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A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih is scheduled to hear the plea, as per the Supreme Court’s cause list for November 18.
The top court had agreed to urgently list the matter on November 14, after concerns were raised that Delhi could become the world’s most polluted city due to the worsening air quality.
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Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, serving as an amicus curiae, requested the court for an urgent hearing, citing the prevailing pollution crisis. She informed the court that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) should explain the steps being taken to address the situation.
On November 11, the Supreme Court had also taken note of the violation of its firecracker ban order during Diwali, remarking that no religion supports activities that cause pollution. The court had directed the Delhi government to decide within two weeks whether to extend the firecracker ban throughout the year.
The plea before the court seeks directions to curb air pollution in Delhi and its surrounding areas, emphasising the fundamental right of citizens to live in a pollution-free environment as protected under Article 21 of the Constitution.