SC tells Delhi, 4 other states, to list steps against pollution

Steps to improve Delhi's air quality seem to be only on paper, the Supreme Court remarked on Tuesday on the persistent problem of air pollution caused "year after year" in the national capital, even as it sought responses from the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan on steps taken to control crop burning.

- Abraham Thomas

On a detailed status report filed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, which said that the number of farm fires one of the major issues that annually contribute to Delhi's polluted air had reduced over previous years, a bench headed by justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said, "What bothers us is to see this (pollution) year after year. The CAQM report is comprehensive but the problem of air pollution persists."

On Tuesday, Delhi's air was in the "very poor" range as outlined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the fourth consecutive day, with an air quality reading of 359.

The bench, also comprising justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and PK Mishra asked Delhi and the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to file the affidavits on the action taken within a week, as it felt that the ground reality is very different, with media reports indicating a spurt in farm fires.