Delhi-NCR air pollution: SC pulls up Centre; AAP blames stubble burning in Haryana, UP as air quality worsens

It is that time of the year again when Delhi wakes up to a thick shroud of smog and gasps for some fresh breath. The situation often gets worse because of stubble burning in Delhi's neighbouring states.

Air quality in Delhi remained 'very poor' with an overall AQI of 363 whereas more areas of the national capital fell into 'severe' category. Due to this, the Supreme Court on Wednesday reprimanded the Centre for rendering the Environmental Protection Act 'toothless' through amendments. 

Delhi pollution updates: Top 10 developments so far

1. "We will take the Union of India to task... it has not created any machinery. The Environmental Protection Act has become toothless. You have got rid of punishment and replaced it with a penalty by amending Section 15 and the procedure to be followed for imposing a penalty cannot be followed," the top court said.
2. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, assured the court that rules would be finalised within 10 days and the Act would be made "fully operational".
3. In the previous hearing, the Supreme Court put Punjab and Haryana to task for failing to take action against those violating the ban on stubble burning.
4. Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai gave a clean chit to Punjab while speaking on the stubble burning issue and blamed Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. 
5. He urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to monitor and reduce such incidents. 
6. Rai mentioned that there were 3,559 instances of stubble burning in Punjab in 2022. The incidents recorded this year are around 1,400. 
7.  As GRAP-II regulations are in effect in Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) doubled the parking fees for vehicles. 
8. "The Parking fees (off road/indoor) has been enhanced to twice of the existing fees for the parking managed by NDMC till the revocation of stage-II of the GRAP," the NDMC said. 
9. 'Severe' air quality was recorded in Jahangirpuri (418), Vivek Vihar (407), Anand Vihar (402), Sonia Vihar (398), and Wazirpur (396). Overall, the city's AQI stood at 363 as of 9 am on Wednesday morning. 
10. Vijender Gupta, Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition, attacked the AAP on the issue of pollution. He questioned the Delhi government on the steps they have taken to tackle the crisis and claimed that the electric buses have been off-roaded. 

(With India Today, agency inputs)