Vacancies in pollution control boards and poor enforcement come under scrutiny as Court demands accountability from NCR states

Amicus says burning is undercounted; Union points to machinery subsidies; Court seeks durable plan beyond seasonal bans

This year, the SC tweaked its approach to firecrackers from prohibition to regulation. Early signs suggest that the ‘test’ may have failed

The Court directed the authorities to monitor the AQI, water sampling and police patrolling to prevent any violations

NCR states argued that Diwali firecrackers are not the only contributor to pollution, alongside stubble burning and temperature inversion

The Bench recommended the Union Government to consider imposing fines or imprisonment under the Indian penal laws

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

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

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