"No Objections": Supreme Court Seeks Action Plan On Proposals To Curb Air Pollution

The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government and other agencies to submit their action plan on the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)'s long-term recommendations to curb air pollution in the capital city.

The court will not hear any objection to these suggestions by the CAQM, said a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, directing the agencies to submit their plan within four weeks.

The CAQM submitted its detailed plan to curb pollution in Delhi-NCR, including 15 long-term plans, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati pointed out. The report also identified the concerned agencies that would implement measures, added Bhati, appearing for the CAQM.

The CAQM report identified vehicles as the main contributor to air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, proposing a time-bound phasing out of polluting vehicles, monitoring cars with remote sensing devices, and expeditious expansion of EV charging infrastructure.

The panel recommended expansion of the public transport network with more buses and metro lines, and strengthening the regional railways. It suggested higher environmental protection charges, currently at 1%, on luxury diesel vehicles and SUVs of 2,000 cc and above, and a plan for the CNG and LNG fuelling network.

The proposals also covered dust pollution from construction and demolition activities, dust from roads, industrial pollution, thermal power plants, and stubble burning among major sources of air pollution in the national capital.

The top court bench, comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, also noted the proposals on the need for advanced technologies like automated RFID at Delhi's border entry points.

It also sought an explanation from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and other agencies on why the recommendations should not be implemented expeditiously.

"We do not need objections. All that the concerned agencies, particularly the MCD and agencies of neighbouring states, are required to do is to submit the action plan and the timeline within which they shall comply," the bench said.

The matter will be taken up after four weeks.