Overview
- During the latest hearing, the court said the economic impact of air pollution must be examined rather than relying on stern remarks that have not changed outcomes.
- Amicus curiae Darius Khambata cited Gita Gopinath’s Davos warning and the Lancet/GBD 2019 study, noting roughly 17% of deaths tied to air pollution and estimating multi‑billion‑dollar losses.
- The bench proposed an independent committee to track compliance and file periodic reports, noting the court cannot practically monitor day‑to‑day enforcement.
- Judges pressed for real‑time transparency through a dedicated website so residents can see local AQI, calling it a public right to know.
- Data placed before the court included CPCB records of 18 ‘unhealthy’ AQI days in January for Mumbai and BMC figures showing 738 of 1,948 construction sites failed to relay monitoring data, with further orders listed for January 29.