'Our executive suffers from policy paralysis': SC refrains from passing directive on Delhi pollution

NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, refrained from passing any harsh directives on the worsening air pollution in Delhi-NCR for now after the Centre, listing a slew of measures taken to address the issue, assured that the condition would improve after Sunday.

However, the court made scathing observations against governments, bureaucracy, media and people in general, even as it asked authorities not to lower the guard and slated the next hearing for November 24.

The executive in the country was suffering from a policy paralysis and the court had to step in for bringing down the rising levels of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana observed, as it pulled up the bureaucracy for dithering over the steps to take to deal with any situation.

"They do not want to take any decision. They want courts to pass orders and they are happy to implement it," the bench said. "It is unfortunate that bureaucracy has come to this pass... The bureaucracy has gone into inertia and they don’t want to do anything, like using sprinklers or water buckets…we have to say,” the CJI said. “It is apathy and just apathy," added Justice DY Chandrachud.

"There has to be some responsibility. Not everything can be done through judicial order," the bench noted.

It asked the Centre and states to implement in letter and spirit the decisions taken at the emergency meeting held by the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas. The Commission had on Tuesday directed closing down of educational institutes and stopping construction activities, among other measures. 

The bench also came down heavily on "people sitting in Delhi in five-, seven-stars" for criticising farmers for contributing to pollution through stubble burning. "Have you seen their earning per landholding? How will they afford these machines (for crop residue disposal)?" it asked, while pointing out that the contribution of transportation as a pollution source or firecrackers is ignored.

The bench said that debates on TV channels were creating more pollution. "They don’t understand the issue and they say anything they like...They have their own agenda. We are here for a specific purpose. We want to bring down pollution," he said.

SC makes hard-hitting observations on pollution

• People sitting in five star and seven (star) facilities in Delhi keep on accusing the farmers... Have you seen their earnings? 

• We know it all: gas guzzlers, tractors, hi-fi cars are plying in Delhi on every route. You’re saying you’ll encourage people to stop it. How will you?... And who will accept?

• Debates on TV are creating more pollution... They don’t understand what is happening 

• It is apathy and just apathy… The bureaucracy has developed some sort of inertia... How to stop a car, seize a vehicle, how to stop a fire has to be done by this court