SC seeks action plan on CAQM's measures to curb air pollution in Delhi NCR

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre, the Delhi government and other stakeholders to submit within four weeks their action plan on the central pollution watchdog's recommendations for long-term measures to improve the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi considered a status report filed by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

"The CAQM has recommended 15 long-term measures. CAQM has also identified the concerned agencies who are the competent ones to give effect to these long-term measures," the bench noted.

Bhatti said that to fight out pollution and to reduce it, the committee has submitted detailed long-term measures, including phasing out polluting vehicles from Delhi-NCR.

Besides this, there were many suggestions, including strengthening of PUC regime; augmentation of rail transport and metro models; revised electric vehicle policy; and higher incentives for scrapping their old vehicles.

She said that the vehicular pollution is the highest contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

The counsel said that a meta-analysis of studies from 2015 to 2025 attributes PM2.5 in Delhi to a mix of primary emissions and secondary particulate formation from sources within the National Capital Region (NCR).

She said that agencies have been identified that can provide an environmental compensation charge fund to ensure the smooth implementation of the measures.

ASG Bhati said that the government wanted to overhaul the Electric Vehicle (EV) policy, proposing significantly higher financial incentives to encourage owners to scrap their ageing internal combustion engine vehicles in favour of zero-emission alternatives.

Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, an amicus curiae, said similar steps have been recommended in earlier plans as well and the court needs to fix timelines for the proposed recommendations.

The court said, there might be some additional long term measures required to be adopted in addition to those recommended by CAQM.

"There can be no doubt that these long-term measures are required to be given effect to. We therefore call upon all the stakeholders to submit their respective action taken plan to give effect to these measures," the bench said.