CJI Kant expresses confidence 'experts will find solution' to Delhi's air pollution problem

The CJI acknowledged the seriousness of the crisis and stressed that lasting solutions would require sustained, science-based interventions rather than temporary measures.

• CJI Surya Kant urges expert-led, long-term solutions for Delhi's air pollution
• Supreme Court called current anti-pollution measures a "total failure"
• Vehicular emissions contribute 18.5% to Delhi's pollution, the highest share.

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Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday voiced optimism that Delhi’s chronic air pollution problem would eventually be addressed through expert-led and institutional efforts, even as the national capital continues to experience unstable air quality and rising public health concerns.

According to CNN-News18, the CJI acknowledged the seriousness of the crisis and stressed that lasting solutions would require sustained, science-based interventions rather than temporary measures.

“I’m confident experts will find a solution to Delhi’s air pollution problem,” he reportedly said, expressing faith in coordinated policymaking and technical expertise to tackle what has become a recurring environmental and health challenge.

On December 17, the Supreme Court flagged serious civic and environmental failures in the Delhi-NCR region, focusing on traffic congestion and air pollution. Issuing notice to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Court suggested shifting Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)’s nine toll booths at Delhi borders to NHAI-operated sites, with possible revenue-sharing to ease traffic snarls.

On pollution, a bench led by CJI Kant termed existing measures a “total failure” and stressed the need for long-term planning. The Court declined to interfere with school closures or hybrid classes, calling them temporary policy decisions for protecting children and the elderly.

Earlier in November, CJI Kant struck a cautious note, saying the Court does not have a “magic wand” to disappear the smog choking Delhi-NCR. He said the Court “needs to identify reasons” behind the persistent deterioration, noting that people often assume there is “only one reason, but there are various factors.”

His comments came at a time when Delhi saw a brief improvement in air quality after nearly two weeks of hazardous smog.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to the ‘poor’ category on consecutive days. On Thursday morning, Delhi recorded an AQI of 220, while the 24-hour average stood at 234 at 4 pm, down from 271 a day earlier. This marked a sharp improvement from the ‘severe’ AQI level of 412 recorded on Tuesday.

Out of 40 functional air quality monitoring stations across the city, 10 reported ‘moderate’ air quality with AQI levels below 200, including Lodhi Road, IIT Delhi, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Aya Nagar. However, 27 stations remained in the ‘poor’ category, and two areas -- Jahangirpuri and Bawana -- continued to record ‘very poor’ AQI readings above 300.

Data from the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management indicated that vehicular emissions remained the single largest contributor to Delhi’s pollution load, accounting for around 18.5 per cent on Wednesday.

This was followed by industrial emissions from Delhi and neighbouring regions, construction activity and waste burning. Among NCR districts, Jhajjar in Haryana emerged as the highest contributor to Delhi’s pollution, followed by Rohtak and Sonipat.

Meteorological conditions played a key role in the temporary improvement. Stronger surface winds from the northwest, reaching up to 15–25 kmph during the day, helped disperse pollutants.

However, the Air Quality Early Warning System cautioned that wind speeds were expected to weaken in the coming days, increasing the likelihood of deterioration to the ‘very poor’ category.

On the weather front, Delhi recorded daytime temperatures slightly above normal, while minimum temperatures fluctuated. The India Meteorological Department forecast moderate fog and cooler conditions ahead, even as experts warned that favourable weather alone would not be enough to sustain cleaner air.