‘Chose Right To Burn Crackers Over Right To Breathe’: Amitabh Kant Questions SC As Delhi’s AQI Plunges | India News

Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa for India and former CEO of NITI Aayog. (File Photo)

Delhi woke up to another blanket of toxic smog after Diwali celebrations, with air quality plunging to the “severe” category once again. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 357 at 1 pm on Monday, with several monitoring stations recording levels above 400 — indicating dangerously high pollution levels.

Despite the Supreme Court’s conditional approval for using “green crackers” between limited hours, several areas across Delhi-NCR witnessed firecrackers bursting well past midnight, worsening already poor air conditions.

Amitabh Kant criticises the SC

Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa for India and former CEO of NITI Aayog, strongly criticised both governance and judicial decisions in the wake of Delhi’s worsening air crisis. In a post on X, he said, “Delhi’s air quality lies in shambles. The Hon. Supreme Court, in its wisdom, has prioritised the right to burn crackers over the right to live and breathe.”

He described the situation as a “health and environmental catastrophe,” urging “ruthless and sustained execution” of pollution control measures. Comparing Delhi with global cities that have overcome similar challenges, he wrote, “If Los Angeles, Beijing, and London can do it, why can’t Delhi?”

Supreme Court ruling

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court lifted the blanket ban on firecrackers, allowing the use of eco-friendly “green crackers” during Diwali, citing a need to balance citizens’ rights and environmental concerns. The decision permitted limited bursting hours between 6-7 am and 8-10 pm on two days.

However, the situation on the ground was starkly different. Fireworks continued until late into the night across several neighbourhoods, worsening visibility and triggering complaints of breathing discomfort.

Kant proposed a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to combat air pollution. His plan included ending crop and biomass burning, modernising brick kilns and power plants, electrifying all transport by 2030, and enforcing stringent construction dust control.

He also called for full waste segregation, better waste processing, and the redesign of Delhi as a green, walkable, transit-oriented city. “Only such decisive and relentless execution can restore Delhi’s blue skies and breathable air,” he said.