Centre issues fresh advisory as SC pulls up Punjab, Haryana over pollution crisis

As air quality in Delhi-NCR once again plunged to 'severe' levels, the Union government on Wednesday issued an urgent health advisory to all states and Union Territories to prepare for a surge in pollution-related illnesses — hours after the Supreme Court rebuked Punjab and Haryana over their failure to control stubble burning, a key cause of the region’s toxic haze.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, along with Justices K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria, directed both states to submit reports on the steps taken to curb residue burning, setting 17 November for the next hearing. “Let Punjab and Haryana governments respond on steps taken to control stubble burning,” the CJI said, noting that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Delhi had crossed 450, a level classified as 'severe plus'.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan urged the Bench to immediately invoke Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) — the toughest anti-pollution measures that ban construction, halt truck entry and curb industrial emissions. “Drilling and excavation work is happening outside a court building even now,” he observed. The CJI assured that action would be taken against construction activity in violation of restrictions.

The GRAP, a tiered emergency plan, escalates interventions as pollution worsens, ranging from dust control to traffic curbs and shutdown of non-essential industrial units.

Amicus curiae Aprajita Singh told the court that satellite images from NASA clearly showed extensive stubble burning across the northern plains. “The apex court’s orders are being flouted with impunity,” she said, adding that field fires in Punjab and Haryana were directly worsening Delhi’s air.

The Bench also expressed concern over reports that air-quality monitoring stations in Delhi had been non-functional during the Diwali period. “If the monitoring stations are not even working, we don’t know when to implement GRAP,” Singh said, revealing that only nine of 37 stations were operating continuously.

The Court directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to submit an affidavit detailing both its monitoring systems and its immediate plan of action. Additional solicitor-general Aishwarya Bhati assured the Bench that all relevant agencies would comply.

Amid the judicial scrutiny, the Union health ministry issued a 33-page advisory under the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH), calling for the rapid establishment of chest clinics across government hospitals and medical colleges to handle pollution-related diseases.

These clinics are to function for at least two hours daily during the high-pollution months (September-March), offering screening, diagnoses, treatment, and long-term care for patients with respiratory or cardiac ailments aggravated by air pollution.

In a letter to all chief secretaries, Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava described air pollution as a “significant health challenge” and urged coordinated preparedness. “Together, we can work towards a healthier, cleaner and more resilient ecosystem,” she wrote.

The clinics will operate at community health centres, district hospitals and medical colleges, particularly in urban areas covered by the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

Hospitals have been instructed to maintain adequate stocks of medicines, oxygen, nebulisers, ventilators and ambulances, while ensuring proper referral mechanisms for emergency cases. Medical teams will undergo specialised training to manage respiratory and cardiac complications linked to pollution exposure.

Each facility must use digital tools such as the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) to record and track high-risk patients. These records are to be shared with ASHA, ANM and CHO workers for follow-up at the community level.

The advisory identifies children under five, the elderly, pregnant women, people with asthma or heart disease, and outdoor workers as the most vulnerable groups. Long-term exposure, it warns, can cause chronic respiratory and cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and premature death, while short-term spikes trigger acute breathlessness, coughing, chest pain, dizziness and fatigue.

States have also been told to act on source reduction, curbing construction dust, waste burning and plastic incineration, and ensuring that workers are provided with masks and protective gear. Water sprinkling must be used at sites to suppress dust, and worker rotations introduced to reduce prolonged exposure.

Schools have been advised to suspend outdoor sports and assemblies when AQI levels are poor, keep students indoors during breaks, and train staff to recognise signs of respiratory distress. Educational activities on air pollution are encouraged, with awards for student initiatives promoting awareness and good practices.

The Supreme Court’s monitoring of pollution control and the Centre’s health directive have together thrown India’s winter pollution crisis into sharp relief — as a problem not only of environmental governance but of public health and state accountability.

With PTI inputs