Order of the Supreme Court of India regarding air and water pollution in Delhi NCR, 13/01/2020

Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of M. C. Mehta Vs Union of India & Others dated 13/01/2020 regarding steps to prevent air and water pollution.

The bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta passed a series of directions to contain air and water pollution plaguing Delhi NCR. The directions include:


  • a) Preparation of a comprehensive plan on the matter, including the action taken.
  • b) Preparation of Crop Residuary Management
  • c) The government of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh file report on environmental hotspots and steps to clear the environmental hazards created by such hotspots.
  • d) Smog tower at Connaught Place be completed by the Delhi government within three months.
  • e) Use of anti-smog guns be used in Delhi NCR for large construction sites, road construction stretches and parking areas on unpaved places.
  • f) Monitoring of industrial areas especially at night and ensuring compliance of norms and standards by industries for PM/NOx/SOx by Pollution Control Boards of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
  • g) Indian Bureau of Stanards and pollution control submit a report on the water quality supplied in Delhi within one month.
  • h) The Governments of NCT of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, are directed to identify the dumped waste of plastic, industrial and other wastes and to ensure that waste is not burnt and is used for processing/incineration and piled up waste is removed on time-bound basis and report filed within six weeks.
  • i) The state governments are also ordered to inform the SC about the measures taken by them with respect to pouring of sewage and untreated industrial effluents in various rivers and the plan prepared by them and arrangement of funds made by them for the purpose of sewage treatment plants and existing facilities and requirements.