NewsIMTSSubscribe Now! Get features like 1. SC asks CAQM for report as Capital’s air gets worse The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to submit a report on the pre-emptive steps being taken to prevent further deterioration in the Capital’s air quality. CAQM has not responded to the worsening pollution. This was pointed out to the court by senior advocate Aparajita Singh assisting the court as amicus curiae. She said Delhi’s air is already in the “very poor” zone, with the AQI hovering between 300 and 400 at a majority of the monitoring stations. She pointed to news reports stating that during Diwali, only 9 of the Capital’s 37 monitoring stations were functional. “CAQM must tell this court what pre-emptive steps they intend to take before the air turns severe,” she said. Quoting the newspaper reports, she added, “If the monitoring stations have not been functioning, how do we know when to implement GRAP?” In response, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai and justice K Vinod Chandran said: “We direct CAQM to place on record an affidavit explaining what steps are proposed to be taken to prevent the… (Updated 4 Nov 2025, 09:20 IST; source: link)
Supreme Court Seeks Report on Delhi's Worsening Air Quality
The Supreme Court has directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to submit a report on preventive measures being taken as Delhi's air quality deteriorates. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, assisting the court, highlighted that the capital's air quality has reached the 'very poor' zone with Air Quality Index (AQI) readings between 300 and 400 at most monitoring stations. The court expressed concern after learning that only 9 of Delhi's 37 air monitoring stations were functional during Diwali, raising questions about the effective implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) which depends on accurate air quality data.
UPSC Daily Current Affairs: Understanding Air Quality Management
For UPSC aspirants, the ongoing Delhi pollution crisis offers important study material on environmental governance. The case highlights the role of judicial intervention in environmental matters and the functioning of specialized bodies like the CAQM. Students should understand the GRAP framework which includes emergency measures implemented at different AQI levels. This situation demonstrates the challenges in urban environmental management, center-state coordination on pollution control, and the intersection of public health and environmental policy. The Supreme Court's involvement also showcases how constitutional provisions related to the right to clean air are interpreted and enforced.
Key Points
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- She said Delhi’s air is already in the “very poor” zone, with the AQI hovering between 300 and 400 at a majority of the monitoring stations.
- She pointed to news reports stating that during Diwali, only 9 of the Capital’s 37 monitoring stations were functional.
