SC asks CAQM, CPCB, state boards to prepare plan to deal with air pollution in 3 weeks

New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the CAQM, CPCB and state pollution control boards to come out with measures to prevent air pollution within three weeks, ahead of winter when pollution levels spike.

The top court was hearing a suo motu plea related to filling of vacancies in the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and state pollution boards, and pulled them up for the delay.

The CAQM is a statutory body formed by the Centre and its main goal is to manage and improve air quality in the National Capital Region and its adjoining areas, which include parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran asked Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab, CAQM and CPCB to fill the vacancies in three months.

It, however, granted six months for filling promotional posts in CAQM, CPCB and state pollution control boards.

In the meantime, the bench directed the states and the authorities to appoint persons either on deputation or contractual basis, keeping in mind the approaching winter season, when pollution level is expected to spike.

The court came down heavily on the states for failing to fill the long-pending vacancies in their pollution control boards, observing that inadequate manpower during peak pollution seasons aggravates the environmental crisis.

Presently, pollution control boards in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have 44, 43, 166 and 259 vacancies, respectively.

On the recurring problem of increase in pollution levels during winter, the CJI said that for the last several years, the court has been passing orders leading to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) coming into force and various activities, including construction work, being stopped.

The GRAP provides for a set of emergency measures to combat worsening Air Quality Index (AQI). It is a stratified plan implemented in response to deteriorating air quality, with different stages triggering stricter actions, such as a ban on construction activities and vehicle restrictions.

The bench noted that the GRAP also leads to a situation where a number of vehicles are stopped from entering Delhi-NCR as they generate more air pollution.

"The stopping of construction has a consequence and workers from different parts of the country are (rendered) jobless," the bench said, adding that disbursal of compensation to workers is also an issue.

The bench then asked the CAQM to deliberate the issue with the CPCB, concerned states and their pollution control boards "to come out with a concrete plan to prevent pollution... the same shall be done within three weeks".

The bench sought a report from the CAQM and fixed the case for hearing on October 8.

Earlier, the top court slammed the Delhi government over vacancies in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and directed it to fill all the posts by September this year.

It said that of the total 204 vacancies in the DPCC, only 83 have been filled so far.

The top court also underlined the shortage of officials in the CAQM and directed the Centre to fill them by August 2025. PTI SJK DIV DIV