Delhi-NCR air pollution measures a 'total failure': SC

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Wednesday orally observed that the measures taken by authorities so far have been a "total failure" in effectively curbing the rising levels of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant remarked that any meaningful reduction in pollution would require broader and long-term planning rather than ad-hoc responses, reported news agency ANI.

With respect to various petitions highlighting the inadequacy of recent measures aimed at protecting children, such as the Delhi government's directives to shut schools or allow them to function in a hybrid mode, the top court noted that these were merely temporary policy decisions taken by the authorities to mitigate health risks.

CJI Kant said the air pollution crisis has become an annual feature, adding that seems that a long term plan need to be evolved and given effect in phased manner.

The top court requested the CAQM to revisit the long term measures and address the following issues, according to updates from the hearing LiveLaw shared:

(1) the urban mobility; (2) cleaners industry and energy; (3) stubble burning and modes and manner of incentivising the farmers to stop stubble burning and rather to use that for multiple purposes; (4) regulation of construction activities and provision of alternative employment when the activities are suspended (5) pollution generating from household activities and measures; (6) increasing green cover; (7) citizen awakening programme and the voluntary giving up of (inaudible) contributing directly / indirectly contributing to air pollution

(8) strengthening of public transport system and ensuring citizen-centric approach (9) any other area may be also identified by the CAQM

Smog persisted across Delhi , with air quality falling in the 'very poor' category, slightly improving from a day before.

The forecasts, meanwhile, predict the air quality to oscillate between 'very poor' and 'severe' categories in the coming days.

It is likely to remain in either of the two categories over the next six days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.