‘Only 9 of 37 AQI monitors worked on Diwali’; SC seeks report on pollution

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up authorities over Delhi’s alarming pollution levels and sought a detailed status report from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on the deteriorating air quality in the national capital. The court expressed concern after learning that most of the air quality monitoring stations in the city were non-functional during Diwali.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran directed the CAQM and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to file a comprehensive report on the capital’s air quality situation and steps being taken to address it. The order came after senior advocate Aparajita Singh, the amicus curiae in the Delhi air pollution case, flagged serious lapses in air quality monitoring during the festival.

“Out of 37 monitoring stations in Delhi, only nine were functioning on Diwali. How can authorities implement pollution control measures when they don’t even have basic data?” Singh remarked. She added that the absence of reliable air quality readings makes it impossible to effectively enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The bench sought to know why the CAQM had not yet filed a status report and directed that it be done before the next hearing. “The situation is critical. Let the CAQM explain how it is monitoring the city’s air if most systems are shut,” the court said.

The observation comes amid reports that the Delhi government deployed water tankers near AQI stations to artificially lower pollution readings, a claim the government has not responded to formally.

Data collected a day after Diwali painted a grim picture. Average PM2.5 levels touched nearly 488 micrograms per cubic metre, over 90 times higher than the World Health Organization’s prescribed limit, marking a three-year high. Despite a reported 77 per cent decline in stubble burning incidents compared to last year, air quality still plunged to severe levels, indicating that local pollution sources such as firecrackers, vehicular emissions, and dust remain major culprits.

The Supreme Court had earlier allowed the limited use of ‘green’ firecrackers in the national capital region. However, ground reports suggest widespread violations, with the city blanketed under a toxic haze the morning after Diwali.

As per CPCB data, Delhi’s overall AQI stood at 316 on Monday, categorised as “very poor”, while several monitoring locations, including Wazirpur (377), Rohini (352), and Sonia Vihar (350), reported even higher levels. PM10 concentration was recorded at 316 micrograms per cubic metre, and PM2.5 at 189.6, posing serious health risks for residents, especially children and the elderly.

The matter will next be heard after the CAQM and CPCB submit their reports detailing the current status of air quality monitoring and mitigation efforts.