Rich’s reluctance to change lifestyle a major reason for pollution, says SC

NEW DELHI: With severe levels of pollution routinely choking Delhi-NCR during winters, Supreme Court on Monday said a major reason for the ineffectiveness of a slew of orders and protocols to fight noxious air is the reluctance of the rich and affluent to change their lifestyles.

The remark was made by a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi after amicus curiae and senior advocate Aparajita Singh complained to the court that air pollution continues to hover around severe levels, causing serious health issues to residents of Delhi-NCR, despite several SC orders putting in place anti-pollution protocols.


Singh said, "Implementation of these orders and taking action as per the protocols has always remained tardy."

The CJI-led bench said, "The Supreme Court has passed a number of orders, yet the situation remains unchanged. What is the solution? We must pass practical orders which can be implemented. Otherwise, people will continue to flout it."

The CJI said, "People need to understand the need of the hour and change their lifestyles. The affluent class does not comply with the restrictions and continues to use big diesel-guzzling cars, generators and other polluting gadgets. The pollution caused by vehicles is choking the national capital and surrounding areas. It is the poor and working class who are most exposed to pollution and suffer the most."

In an affidavit last week, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had informed the court that transport sector accounts of 41% of the pollution load on Delhi-NCR's ambient air, while dust and construction activities accounted for 21%, industry 19%, power plants 5%, residential activities 3% and other sources 11%. It said that while these factors are constant sources of pollution, stubble burning is only a periodic cause restricted to a short span in a year.

As the CJI-led bench agreed to hear the air pollution issue on Wednesday, the amicus complained that though SC had barred schools and organisations from conducting sporting events for children, who suffer the most from hazardous air quality, the organisers continue to sidestep the restrictions and conduct such events, putting the well-being of students/children at risk.

Another counsel raised the issue of health of schoolgoing kids during severe pollution, through a separate application. The bench said that judicial time cannot be spent hearing arguments from different counsels on the same issue and asked all advocates to give their suggestions to the amicus curiae, who alone would be making submissions on different issues before the court.