On Wednesday, 23rd October, the Supreme Court grilled the Central governments over non-compliance and failure to enforce the anti-pollution measures. The court stated that the provision under the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Act which deals with penalty for stubble burning was not being implemented and was enacted without creating any required machinery for implementing the provision to deal with the air pollution.
The court said, “If these governments are really interested in implementing the law there will have been at least one prosecution.”
“You are sparing 600 or more people. We will tell you very frankly that you are giving a signal to violators that nothing will be done against them. This has been for the past three years. This is all hogwash. Is this some policy devised by you? So, some people are arrested, and some others just fined? We are very sceptical,” the court further added.
A bench consisting of Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanulllah and Augustine George Masih said that the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act of 2021 (CAQM Act) were not enacted properly.
The bench said, “Please tell your chairperson of CAQM not to bail out these officials. We know what is happening on the ground.” The Centre has assured the court that the regulation on penalty under CAQM Act for stubble burning will be issued in 10 days.
Meanwhile, the air quality index (AQI) of Delhi continued to be in the ‘very poor’ category despite the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked the stage two of the anti-pollution plan GRAP. The air quality of Delhi has worsened today. Delhi's air quality index was recorded at 349 today morning around 7:30 am. Several areas across the capital recorded an AQI of over 400 in the early hours of the day.
Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said, “The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has established four levels to control pollution. Currently, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is above 300, which has led to the implementation of GRAP Stage II.”