The Supreme Court of India has refused a request for an urgent hearing on the worsening air pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR, stating that the matter is already scheduled for consideration later in the month.
A bench led by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran made the observation when advocates sought an immediate hearing on Monday, citing the severe deterioration in air quality and rising public health concerns. The lawyers reminded the Court that during the previous hearing on November 3, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had been asked to submit their responses but no specific date had been fixed for the next sitting.
Responding to the plea, the Chief Justice clarified that the bench’s schedule was occupied with hearings related to the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, and therefore an early hearing on Monday was not possible. He assured that the matter will be taken up as per the scheduled date of November 12.
The Court also hinted that the air pollution matter might be tagged with another ongoing case concerning the Taj Trapezium Zone, which also deals with environmental and air quality issues, suggesting a possible consolidated hearing in the future.
Earlier, during previous proceedings, the Court had expressed concern over reports that several air quality monitoring stations in the region had stopped functioning, raising doubts about the accuracy of pollution data used for policy decisions.
While the Court’s refusal to expedite the hearing disappointed some petitioners, it reaffirmed its intent to closely monitor compliance and accountability once the matter is formally taken up next week.
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