The Supreme Court on Thrusday issued contempt notices to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan for failing to fill long-pending vacancies in state pollution control boards and related bodies, despite repeated court directions.
A bench comprising Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh expressed displeasure over the lack of compliance, stating that the inaction amounts to “wilful disobedience” of the Court’s orders. The justices questioned the states’ failure to take environmental governance seriously, especially in the face of severe and persistent air and water pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Court had earlier directed all NCR states to ensure that pollution control boards and related authorities are adequately staffed with qualified personnel. However, the states have reportedly failed to adhere to the timelines and failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the delay.
“Environmental degradation continues while administrative apathy prevails. We cannot allow this to go unchecked,” the bench remarked.
The notices require the chief secretaries to respond and explain the continued vacancies. The matter has been listed for further hearing after the summer break.
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