New Delhi: Air pollution in the national capital, Delhi, has reached dangerous levels. The Supreme Court heard petitions regarding the growing air pollution problem in Delhi on Monday, November 3. During the hearing, the country’s top court was informed that many air quality monitoring stations in the city are not functioning.
Advocate raised question in court
An advocate appearing in the Supreme Court questioned how the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) can be effectively implemented when crucial pollution data is missing. During the hearing, he urged the Supreme Court to issue instructions to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to take pre-emptive measures to control rising pollution levels.
‘Only 9 out of 37 monitoring centres were operational’
The lawyer also argued during the court hearing that action must be taken before the situation becomes serious. He also pointed out that many air quality monitoring centers in Delhi are reportedly not functioning. If these centers are not functioning, we will not know when to implement GRAP. The lawyer told the court that only nine out of 37 monitoring centers were operational during Diwali.
Chief Justice gave instructions
Meanwhile, Chief Justice BR Gavai responded to the advocate’s question. He directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to submit a report detailing the steps being taken to prevent further deterioration of air quality.
Air quality at very dangerous levels
It’s worth noting that on Monday, November 3, the national capital, Delhi, experienced heavy smog. During this time, the air quality in the capital remained at a very dangerous level. According to the CPCB app, 28 monitoring stations recorded an Air Quality Index of over 300, which falls in the hazardous category. Meanwhile, politics has also intensified regarding air quality in Delhi. The country’s oldest party, the Congress, even criticized the Delhi government for using artificial rain to improve air quality.
