- SC has given the CAQM, CPCB, and state pollution boards three weeks to submit a detailed plan to curb air pollution.
- States including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab must fill pending vacancies in their pollution control boards within three months.
- The matter will be reviewed on October 8, with the court stressing urgent action ahead of the winter pollution spike.
The Supreme Court has directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and state pollution control boards to submit a comprehensive plan to tackle air pollution within three weeks.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran underlined that air quality levels deteriorate sharply during winter months, especially in the National Capital Region and adjoining states, and called for urgent preventive measures.
The court also criticised states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab for keeping long-pending vacancies in their pollution control boards unfilled. It ordered these vacancies to be filled within three months. For promotions in the CAQM, CPCB, and state boards, a six-month deadline was set.
The CAQM, a statutory body of the central government, oversees air quality management in the NCR and surrounding regions. The case was taken up as part of a suo motu petition regarding these vacancies and their impact on pollution control. The next hearing is scheduled for October 8.