Delhi Pollution: Supreme Court Asks Centre And State Govt To Explain Delay In Taking Action

The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the Centre and Delhi government over the delay in taking action to control pollution in the national capital, saying, "It is a matter of life and death".

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana asked the Centre and Delhi government to file an affidavit explaining the reasons for not taking timely action and what steps are being taken now.

The court was hearing a plea by environmentalist M C Mehta seeking directions to the Centre and Delhi government to take immediate steps to control air pollution in the national capital.

The bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant, said, "You have to take action now. Why have you not taken action till now? This is a matter of life and death. People are dying."

The court also asked the Centre and Delhi government to file an affidavit on the steps being taken to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi.

GRAP is a set of measures to be implemented in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) when the air quality deteriorates to certain levels.

The court also asked the Centre and Delhi government to file an affidavit on the steps being taken to control stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

Stubble burning is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi during the winter months.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on November 24.