The Supreme Court today made strong remarks on the toxic air quality in the national capital, calling for urgent steps to tackle the menace.
Against the backdrop of political differences and their role in blocking a proper resolution to the problem, the court said, "This can't become a political battle. It's a murder of people's health."
Directing state governments to take immediate steps to stop stubble burning, the court said, "We want it stopped. We don't know how you do it, it's your job. But it must be stopped. Something has to be done immediately."
The court also pulled up Delhi government. "Delhi government also must be responsible. There are many buses running that pollute and run at half capacity. You have to attend to the problem," it said.
The court also commented on the odd-even scheme announced by Delhi government to check the pollution levels. Schemes like odd-even for vehicles to tackle pollution issue are "mere optics", the court said.
The court also asked if paddy cultivation can be stopped in Punjab. "The crop is destroying the water table of the state," it said.
Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood in the 'poor' category at 297 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
India improves its ranking in the 2025 pollution report, dropping from third to fifth place.
In an unprecedented sight on Wednesday evening, a 15-minute power blackout was observed in many areas of the national capital, including entire Lutyens' Delhi.
The Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to conduct five cloud-seeding trials to be overseen by IIT-Kanpur.
Air pollution side effects: Here we discuss how exposure to air pollution constantly can affect your health.
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