'No Compliance With Single Provision': Supreme Court Rebukes Delhi's Air Quality Commission, Urges Stubble Burning Solution

The Supreme Court slammed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for only issuing directions to control air pollution but not ensuring their compliance in a Friday (27 September) hearing.

Justice Abhay Oka noted that there is no compliance with a single provision of the Act since the authority was constituted three years ago. He also questioned what has been done to solve the issue of stubble burning.

"Just see the approach of the commissioner. Says we will not take any action and leave it to the government to take action. The impression given by you ultimately there will not be any implementation," he infuriated.

Another judge of the bench, Justice Augustine George Masih highlighted the issue of insufficient machinery for removing stubble left in the fields after crop harvesting.

The court directed the commission to ensure that the equipment provided to the farmers from the money supplied by the central government is really used at the grassroots level to remove stubble.

"The commission must ensure that its orders and directions issued actually translate into reducing the problem of pollution," the court said highlighting the powers given to the commission.

"We direct the Commission to file a better compliance report recording compliance with the provisions of the Act and steps for enforcing not only the provisions but also the recommendations of the committees," it said.

The matter will be next heard on 18 October. The court also accepted the proposal to tag CAQM on social media while making pollution-related complaints so that CAQM can take action.