Calling clean air a constitutional right, the Court upheld the cracker ban and demanded compliance reports on stubble burning control

Top court questioned why Delhi is still drowning in waste nine years after the Waste Management Rules came into force

Crop diversification, in situ and ex situ strategies were proposed as realistic alternatives for stubble burning

The Court also took note of the pollution generated by thermal power plants in the NCR and vehicular emissions

A complete docket of our year-end publications that thematically breakdown the top court's work in 2024

As GRAP IV gets reimposed in Delhi, the top court steps up its efforts to tackle vehicular emissions

While the Court strongly pushed for conservation in crucial environmental cases, it prioritised development projects in others

The Court asked for greater accountability from state authorities on waste management, construction worker disbursements & firecrackers

The bench also summoned the Chief Secretary of Delhi to justify non-compliance with data collection on solid waste management

With improving air quality, the top court is shifting focus from damage control to long-term sustainability

Judicial scrutiny of the pollution crisis highlights systemic failures, poor coordination, & the challenges in enforcing emergency measures

A Division Bench bench flagged GRAP violations in Delhi, questioning police and state inaction as pollution continues to choke the capital