The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), stating that the pollution watchdog was “failing in its duty” by delaying action on critical pollution issues, including easing traffic congestion at toll plazas on Delhi’s borders.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi expressed displeasure after the CAQM sought a two-month adjournment regarding its decision on the temporary closure or relocation of toll booths. The court rejected the plea, directing the commission to act swiftly and convene a meeting of experts within two weeks.
The bench questioned the effectiveness of the CAQM, observing that the body had not taken concrete steps despite ongoing public discourse and expert commentary on air pollution.
“Have you been able to identify the causes of pollution?” the court asked, pointing out that multiple expert articles and public inputs had identified heavy vehicular traffic, particularly from large trucks, as a significant contributor to deteriorating air quality in Delhi and surrounding regions.
“During all these days, a lot of material is coming in public domain, experts are writing articles, people are having opinions, they keep on sending to us on mail… Heavy vehicles are contributing a large part, so the first question is how do we address that,” the Chief Justice remarked.
The court criticised the commission’s approach of holding a meeting on January 2 and then seeking a two-month period to respond. “That is not acceptable to us. The CAQM is failing in its duty,” the bench said.
Court’s Directions
Taking a firm stance, the Supreme Court directed the CAQM to:
- Hold a meeting of experts within two weeks to assess the major contributors to pollution.
- Submit a comprehensive report identifying those causes.
- Start working on phased, long-term solutions to Delhi’s air pollution crisis.
- Consider the issue of toll plazas at the city’s borders, including the possibility of temporary closure or relocation to ease vehicular congestion — without being influenced by individual stakeholder positions.
The court is currently monitoring several aspects of the National Capital Region’s pollution control mechanisms, particularly with regard to vehicular emissions, stubble burning, construction dust, and industrial pollutants. The matter of toll plaza congestion has emerged as one of the focal points, with long queues of idling vehicles significantly adding to particulate emissions.
The court’s latest intervention is expected to put pressure on the CAQM and other government agencies to act decisively as pollution levels in Delhi-NCR remain alarmingly high.
