New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed strong discontent with the Delhi government’s handling of vacancies in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), a critical body responsible for managing the city’s pollution levels. The bench, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, pointed out that out of the 204 total vacancies in the committee, only 83 have been filled, leaving a significant gap in staffing.
The court was particularly critical given Delhi’s ongoing air pollution crisis, urging the Delhi government to prioritize filling the vacant positions. “We cannot tolerate the laxity shown by the Delhi government, especially when Delhi is the worst affected by air pollution,” the bench remarked. The court instructed the state government to ensure all 204 vacancies are filled by September 2025, with a detailed affidavit outlining the progress to be filed by October 15, 2025.
The Supreme Court further warned that failure to meet this deadline would constitute “aggravated contempt” and would result in strict legal consequences for the Delhi government. The ruling underscores the urgency of addressing the city’s environmental challenges, with the DPCC playing a vital role in regulating and mitigating pollution.
The Delhi government has been under increasing scrutiny for its inability to properly staff the DPCC, despite the city’s ongoing air quality crisis, which is among the worst in the country. The court’s directive now places pressure on the government to take swift action in addressing this long-standing issue, ensuring that the DPCC has the necessary manpower to effectively tackle
pollution in the capital.