Aakhir Tak – In Shorts:
- Supreme Court seeks response from Delhi Police on firecracker ban enforcement.
- Delhi government criticized for pollution surge post-Diwali.
- Punjab and Haryana asked to report stubble burning incidents.
Aakhir Tak – In Depth:
The Supreme Court expressed displeasure over the poor enforcement of the firecracker ban in Delhi, which contributed to rising pollution levels. The court has directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to submit an affidavit within a week, detailing measures taken to ensure compliance. Additionally, the Delhi government was asked to outline future strategies for better enforcement.
Reports indicate that post-Diwali, Delhi earned the tag of the world’s most polluted city, with PM2.5 levels soaring past the severe mark, posing serious respiratory health risks. The court highlighted that pollution levels this year were alarmingly higher than in the previous two years. The Supreme Court further noted the increase in stubble burning incidents during this period, prompting it to direct the Punjab and Haryana governments to provide data on the number of such cases in the last ten days of October.
Moreover, the Delhi government has been instructed to report any instances of farm fires during the same period. These directives underscore the Supreme Court’s stringent approach to tackling pollution and ensuring that authorities take decisive action.
