Air Pollution: The Supreme Court reprimanded the CAQM over air pollution, stating that it had failed to fulfill its duties.

The Supreme Court heard petitions related to air pollution in Delhi-NCR on Tuesday. During the hearing, the Supreme Court reprimanded the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for failing to perform its duties. The court also rejected the CAQM's request to remove or temporarily close toll plazas on Delhi's borders.

Supreme Court Slams CAQM

During the hearing in the apex court on Tuesday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had sought two months to address the issue of temporarily closing or removing toll plazas on the Delhi border. The Supreme Court rejected the request, reprimanding the commission and stating that it had failed to perform its duty. The court also directed the CAQM to begin considering long-term solutions in a phased manner.

The court instructed the commission to consider the toll plaza issue without being influenced by the views of various stakeholders. It also directed the commission to convene a meeting of experts within two weeks and submit a report on the main causes of rising pollution.

Instructions to Submit Report on Main Causes

The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the commission to convene a meeting of experts within two weeks and submit a report on the main causes of rising pollution. The court sternly asked, "Have you been able to identify the causes of pollution?  A lot of material is coming into the public domain these days. Experts are writing articles, people have opinions, and they keep sending them to us via email."

Instructions to Consider the Toll Plaza Issue

The bench further stated that heavy vehicles are a major contributor to air pollution, so the first question is how to deal with this. "Holding a meeting on January 2nd and telling us that you will come back after two months is not acceptable to us. The Commission for Air Quality Management is failing to perform its duty." The Supreme Court directed the CAQM to begin considering long-term solutions in a phased manner and to also consider the toll plaza issue without being influenced by the views of various stakeholders.