SC slams CAQM for only 9 working air quality stations
The Supreme Court has called out Delhi-NCR's weak pollution tracking, asking the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to explain what's actually being done.
Turns out, only 9 of 37 air quality stations were working during Diwali—right when pollution spikes—leaving officials and citizens in the dark.
The court wants a full report on which stations are running and what actions are planned to prevent dangerous smog levels.
Court wants to know how to fix the gaps
Earlier, the court allowed only NEERI-approved fireworks for Diwali, with strict rules and licensed sellers.
They also ordered monitoring of air, water, and soil quality from October 14-25.
But with so many monitors offline, Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh urged stronger action, emphasizing the need for pre-emptive steps rather than waiting for air quality to reach severe levels.
Authorities now have to share exactly how they'll fix these gaps and keep Delhi's air safer.