'SC Prioritised Right To Burn Crackers Over Right To Live': Ex-NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant Over Delhi's Poor Air Quality
Amitabh Kant, Sherpa of the 2023 G20 Summit in India and former CEO of NITI Aayog, expressed concern over Delhi’s deteriorating air quality and called for a unified action plan to save the national capital from what he termed a “health and environmental catastrophe.”
Criticizing the Supreme Court of India for its order allowing firecrackers to be burst during Diwali, Kant said, “The Supreme Court, in its wisdom, has prioritised the right to burn crackers over the right to live and breathe.”
The strong remark from the former NITI Aayog CEO came after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) at 344 , in the “very poor” category, at 10:00 pm on Monday.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court lifted the ban on firecrackers, allowing Delhi residents to celebrate Diwali with green crackers. The court said it was taking a “balanced approach” by permitting limited use while ensuring environmental concerns were not ignored.
Although the court allowed firecrackers to be burst only between 6 am–7 am and 8 pm–10 pm on two designated days, several areas across Delhi-NCR witnessed crackers being set off well past midnight.
Kant wrote on X, “Delhi’s air quality lies in shambles: 36 of 38 monitoring stations have hit the ‘red zone,’ with AQI above 400 in key areas. The Hon’ble Supreme Court, in its wisdom, has prioritised the right to burn crackers over the right to live and breathe. Delhi remains one of the world’s most polluted capitals. If Los Angeles, Beijing, and London can do it, why can’t Delhi? Only ruthless and sustained execution can save Delhi from this health and environmental catastrophe.”
He further added, “A unified action plan is vital, to end crop and biomass burning, shut down or modernise thermal power plants and brick kilns with cleaner technology, shift all transport to electric by 2030, enforce strict construction dust control, ensure complete waste segregation and processing, and redesign Delhi around green, walkable, transit-focused living. Only such decisive and relentless execution can restore the city’s blue skies and breathable air.”
The deteriorating air quality in Delhi and its surrounding regions is being attributed to the bursting of firecrackers and stubble burning in neighboring states. BJP leader Manoj Tiwari told the media that it would take another 2.5 to 3 years to resolve this issue.
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