Men congregate on the terrace of a house in a residential area shrouded in dense smog in New Delhi on October 23, 2024. — AFP
Living in a pollution-free environment is a fundamental right, according to India's Supreme Court, which urged authorities on Wednesday to tackle the deteriorating air quality in the northern part of the country. The Central Pollution Control Board reported that Delhi's air quality index reached a "very poor" level of 364 on Wednesday, with readings below 50 considered good. Swiss group IQAir ranked Delhi as the world's most polluted city in its live rankings.
The city faces toxic air every winter, with authorities attributing much of the smoke to farmers illegally burning paddy stubble in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana. The Supreme Court criticized both state governments for taking "selective action" against stubble burning, noting that penal provisions were not being properly enforced.
"These are not just matters of implementing existing laws; these are matters of blatant violation of fundamental rights...the governments must address...how they will protect the right of citizens to live with dignity," the court stated. It instructed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's federal government to consider a proposal from Punjab seeking additional funds to provide tractors and diesel to farmers with land holdings of "less than 10 acres."
Delhi is annually enveloped by a hazy, toxic blanket as temperatures drop, trapping vehicle emissions, construction dust, and smoke. Despite the Supreme Court addressing this issue multiple times, experts claim that its directives have not been effectively implemented. Recognizing this, the court directed the federal government and the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to submit compliance reports.
Air pollution disrupts the lives of citizens in several parts of South Asia every winter, with studies showing that toxic air can reduce life expectancy by more than five years. In Pakistan's most populous province of Punjab, authorities have altered school timings and suspended outdoor activities due to pollution. IQAir ranked Lahore, the provincial capital, as the world's second most polluted city on Wednesday.
"All these measures are being implemented to protect children from smog," said Marriyam Aurangzeb, a senior minister in Pakistan's Punjab.
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