The Supreme Court on Monday summoned the Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to address non-compliance with its orders regarding air pollution control in the National Capital Region (NCR). The court’s directive comes amidst ongoing concerns about rising pollution levels and the absence of a long-term policy to combat air quality deterioration.
During the hearing, presided over by Justice AS Oka and Justice AG Masih, it was noted that none of the states involved had adhered to the court’s directive to provide subsistence allowances to construction workers affected by pollution control measures. “We find that none of the NCR states—Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh—has reported compliance with the order regarding the payment of subsistence allowance to construction workers. None of the states has indicated that any payments have been made so far,” Justice Oka remarked.
The court has scheduled the Chief Secretaries to appear via video conferencing on Thursday at 3:30 PM, urging the states to file affidavits detailing their actions by then. The justices warned that failure to show substantial compliance could lead to contempt proceedings, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The hearing also touched on the enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is activated during severe pollution episodes but criticized for being merely an emergency measure rather than a permanent solution. “Unless we see substantial compliance with actual payments made to construction workers, we may have to consider initiating action against the officers under the Contempt of Courts Act,” the bench stated.
Further concerns were raised by Court Commissioner Manan Verma, who reported minimal enforcement of pollution control laws and the ineffective implementation of GRAP. Verma also highlighted the unchecked movement of heavy trucks carrying materials like wood and cement blocks within Delhi, exacerbating the pollution crisis.
Amicus Curiae Aparajita Singh pointed out that while a comprehensive action plan had been prepared by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Environmental Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), it has yet to be implemented effectively.
