In Brief
The Supreme Court addressed severe air and water pollution in Delhi and NCR regions in a series of orders from November 2019 to January 2020. Finding blatant violation of Article 21 (right to life), the Court held state governments accountable for failing to prevent stubble burning, open waste dumping, construction dust, and industrial pollution despite previous orders. It directed comprehensive pollution control measures including anti-smog towers and guns, strict monitoring of emissions, and river cleanup programs. Crucially, the Court mandated free or subsidized crop-residue management machinery for small farmers and Rs. 100 per quintal incentive for non-burning, rejecting arguments of financial constraints. The Court also initiated compensation proceedings against governments for citizens' health damages from inadequate pollution control and ordered detailed compliance reports within specified timeframes.
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