Over 6K pollution complaints in Delhi since Oct 2021; 38% still unresolved

Rajasthan registered 77 complaints, 51 of which are unresolved

Delhi registered 6,170 complaints related to air pollution between October 15 and November 19, with 2,333 (38 per cent) of these remaining unresolved, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 

Interestingly, Rajasthan registered 77 air pollution complaints, but had a higher failure rate of addressing the cases than Delhi. Fifty-one complaints (66 per cent) remained pending in Rajasthan.

 

The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) data includes complaints from Bhiwadi and Alwar, the latter being the parliamentary constituency of Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav.

 

In Delhi, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) were the worst performers in addressing air pollution complaints. DJB failed to resolve 64 per cent of the 188 complaints it received, while the MCD left 47 per cent of its 4,353 complaints unresolved. This highlights significant gaps in grievance redressal mechanisms for combating air pollution in the city.

 

The Sameer app was launched to empower citizens to report air pollution violations and encourage timely resolutions. However, the data underscores persistent inefficiencies in addressing these complaints, particularly in major pollution hotspots.

 

The Delhi Cantonment Board was the only authority to achieve a 100 per cent resolution rate, successfully addressing all 10 complaints it received.

 

From January 1 to November 20, there were 124 days when the air quality index (AQI) exceeded 201, compared to 118 days during the same period in 2023.

 

The air quality in Delhi was in “Very Poor” category with CPCB AQI of 318 on November 24. There has been no significant change in maximum temperature, while a rise of up to 2°C has been recorded in minimum temperature in Delhi-national capital region (NCR) during the past 24 hours, according to Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology’s air quality early warning system.

 

The air quality is expected to fall into the “Very Poor” category on Wednesday, worsening to the “Severe” category on Thursday. Over the following six days, the air quality is likely to fluctuate between “Severe” and “Very Poor” levels.

 

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to reassess its decision to close schools in Delhi-NCR, particularly for classes 10 to 12. The move follows concerns about the availability of mid-day meals.

 

The Bench observed that many students depend on mid-day meals, which are unavailable due to schools being closed, and questioned whether the air quality at home is better than at schools.

 

The Bench proposed resuming physical classes with measures aligned with Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, it declined to relax restrictions under GRAP Stage IV, citing persistently poor air quality.

 

Stressing the need for stricter enforcement, the apex court instructed CAQM to take action against officials for lapses in implementing Stage IV directives.