In a stark personal testament to the capital's environmental emergency, Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant has voiced serious concerns over Delhi's dangerously deteriorating air quality. The CJI's comments came during a court proceeding after senior advocates highlighted their own deteriorating health, directly linking it to the toxic smog engulfing the city.
Personal Ailments from Public Hazard
The CJI shared a distressing personal account, revealing that his primary form of exercise, an evening walk, has become a health hazard. After a 55-minute walk on Tuesday, he suffered from physical discomfort that lasted until the next morning. He remarked, "The only exercise I do is walking. But even that is difficult now. Yesterday I walked for 55 minutes, and till morning I had problems."
The issue was brought to the fore when Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi requested to be excused from a hearing concerning the SIR process, citing poor health. When the CJI inquired if the condition was related to Delhi's pollution, Dwivedi confirmed it was. He later agreed that his health had indeed taken a turn for the worse following a walk outdoors.
Legal Fraternity Echoes Health Concerns
The CJI's experience was echoed by other senior members of the legal community. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal stated that the air quality has become so obnoxious that he has completely stopped his evening walks. Expressing grave concern for citizens of a certain age, Sibal said, "To breathe this obnoxious air, at our age…" highlighting the vulnerability of older adults to the polluted air.
Following these discussions, a suggestion was made to shift court hearings to a virtual mode to protect the health of the legal professionals. In response, CJI Surya Kant demonstrated a collaborative approach, stating he would consider the proposal after consultations with the Bar Association. "If at all such a decision is taken, I would like to take the Bar into confidence... If the Bar Association makes a proposal, we will be open to considering it," he assured, as per Live Law.
Dwivedi also proposed a specific solution, suggesting that lawyers above the age of 60 should be given the option to appear virtually until the air quality situation improves.
GRAP-III Revoked, But 'Very Poor' AQI Persists
The concerns of the judiciary unfolded on a day when the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) decided to revoke the Stage-III restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi. However, measures under GRAP-I and II continue to be enforced.
Despite this slight relaxation, the city's air remained firmly in the 'very poor' category. On Wednesday morning, a thick layer of haze engulfed the national capital. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 337 at 7 am, according to ANI reports. The situation was particularly severe in specific areas, with the AQI near India Gate at 358 and in the Ghazipur area at 363.
This episode underscores that while official restrictions may be eased, the tangible, health-impacting reality of air pollution in Delhi remains a critical and urgent public health crisis, affecting the daily lives of even the country's most senior judicial figures.
