SC Seeks Urgent Delhi-NCR Vehicle Pollution Plan From Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

The Supreme Court has sought “urgent and immediate intervention” to curb vehicular pollution in Delhi-NCR. It has asked Delhi and three neighbouring states to explain how they regulate vehicle entry and movement, enforce emission norms and keep polluting vehicles off the roads, The Hindustan Times reported.

The direction comes as vehicle emissions emerge as a growing source of the region’s worsening air quality. In an order released on Sunday, a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana pressed authorities to spell out their response.

Court Demands Details

According to the report, the court asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi government, Delhi Police’s traffic department and the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to file detailed responses. These responses must explain the regulatory framework for commercial and non-commercial vehicles operating in Delhi and across the NCR.

The bench also ordered the authorities to disclose how they identify and regulate vehicles that do not meet prescribed emission standards. That includes enforcement of Pollution Under Control certification requirements and the steps taken to stop overage, end-of-life and other non-compliant vehicles from entering or operating in the region.

Authorities must also provide data on vehicles inspected, challaned, denied entry or otherwise proceeded against for violations. They must also explain how Delhi and neighbouring states coordinate on inter-state vehicular movement and spell out short-term and long-term measures to cut vehicular emissions, along with a time-bound roadmap to strengthen enforcement.

Pollution Data Shift

The focus changed with fresh compliance data.

The court’s latest intervention followed an assessment of compliance with the Graded Response Action Plan placed before it by amicus curiae Aparajita Singh and additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati. The assessment showed a substantial decline in incidents of stubble burning across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan between October 21 and November 3.

But the same material showed a rise elsewhere. “While this development is certainly laudable, the same data also brings to the fore a converse and equally pressing concern, namely, the sharp increase in issues attributable to vehicular emissions,” the bench said in the order, according to the report.

That shift fits earlier findings from the Commission for Air Quality Management. In a report submitted to the court earlier this year, CAQM identified vehicular emissions as the single-largest source of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. It put the share at 23% in winter and 19% in summer.

NCR Traffic Burden

The bench pointed to the region’s shared traffic load.

It observed that Delhi and the NCR bear the cumulative burden of vehicles originating both within their own boundaries and in neighbouring states. The court cited the area’s geographical and economic interconnectedness and said the large volume of commercial and non-commercial vehicles entering and moving within the region adds to the existing emission load.

The court then spelt out the urgency. “There can be little doubt that the issue warrants urgent and immediate intervention,” the bench said.

The order also split the wider pollution case into separate tracks for closer scrutiny. The Supreme Court scheduled hearings in four companion suo motu proceedings covering vehicular emissions, green cover, pollution from construction activities and industries and solid waste management, including crop-residue burning and firecrackers. The vehicular emissions matter will be heard on November 23. Solid waste management, crop-residue burning and firecrackers will be heard on November 25.

Pollution from construction activities, power plants and other industries will be taken up on November 26. Conservation and enhancement of green cover will be examined on November 30. The present proceeding will continue as the lead matter and be listed on each of these dates.

Compliance And Diwali

The states have two weeks to furnish a response. The court gave them that time to place on record the steps already taken, their response to suggestions made by CAQM and the amici curiae and any independent measures they propose to undertake. The amici had also pointed out that compliance with the court’s earlier orders of January 21 and February 23 had not yet been properly reported.

The order followed the November 6 hearing, when the court questioned whether measures such as traffic restrictions and water sprinklers had delivered adequate results. It had also flagged vehicular pollution and congestion as major concerns, pointing to bumper-to-bumper traffic in Delhi as well as the neighbouring suburbs of Noida and Gurgaon.