The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed strong disapproval over the failure of Delhi and neighboring NCR states to comply with its directive to fill vacancies in their respective pollution control bodies, calling the situation a “sorry state of affairs.”
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan issued contempt notices to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan for not adhering to the Court’s August 2024 order, which had mandated that all vacancies in the pollution control boards be filled by April 30, 2025.
The Court particularly flagged the alarming state of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), noting that 55 per cent of its posts remain vacant. “It is shocking that the body is virtually defunct,” the bench remarked during the hearing.
Terming the inaction as a serious breach of its earlier directive, the apex court sought explanations from the officials as to why they should not be punished under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
The court directed the Chief Secretary of Delhi to appear in person on May 19, while the Chief Secretaries of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan have been asked to appear virtually on July 18.
