The National Green Tribunal's central bench has taken serious note of the alarming deterioration of air quality in Bhopal, demanding answers from the Madhya Pradesh government. The tribunal has issued formal notices, giving state authorities four weeks to explain why the city's air has been allowed to degrade to levels that sometimes compete with Delhi's notorious smog.
A City Choking: The Petitioners' Case
Acting on a petition filed by the Bhopal Citizens' Forum, the bench comprising judicial member Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Sudhir Chaturvedi passed the order on December 22. The case frames the situation as a direct challenge to "grave and worsening" pollution, alleged manipulation of air quality data, and a breach of the fundamental right to clean air. Advocate Harpreet Singh Gupta, representing the petitioners, painted a grim picture of a city engulfed in chronic haze.
Gupta informed the tribunal that Bhopal's Air Quality Index has frequently entered the "very poor" category in recent months. Shockingly, readings have soared as high as 336, with one day in October reportedly recording an AQI of 616—a level so severe that early-morning walkers struggled to breathe. He argued that Bhopal now holds the dubious distinction of being the second-worst city for air quality in Madhya Pradesh, trailing only the industrial hub of Singrauli.
Multiple Culprits and Alleged Data Manipulation
The petition outlines a comprehensive list of pollution sources that authorities have failed to control effectively. These include:
- Widespread use of banned firecrackers during wedding seasons, flouting Supreme Court restrictions.
- Numerous construction sites operating without basic dust-control measures.
- Persistent stubble burning, despite a previous NGT order in a 2024 case.
- Broken and dusty roads that continuously throw fine particulate matter into the air.
- A vehicle fleet where nearly 40 percent of owners lack valid Pollution-Under-Control certificates.
- Coal-fired tandoors and kitchens at restaurants and street eateries, allegedly violating the Air Act.
Perhaps the most serious allegation is that regulators themselves attempted to game the system. Gupta cited reports that officials were spraying water 10 to 15 times a day around continuous air-monitoring stations at locations like the collectorate, TT Nagar, and Paryavaran Parisar in Shahpura. This tactic can temporarily depress local readings without making any real improvement to the overall air quality, misleading the public about the true danger.
Legal Framework and Demand for Action
The advocate invoked constitutional guarantees, including Article 21 (right to life) and Articles 48-A and 51A(g), which outline the duty to protect the environment. He also referenced a pivotal 2024 Supreme Court ruling in MK Ranjit Sinh v. Union of India, where the court recognized a justiciable right against the adverse effects of climate change. Gupta contended that statutory duties under the Air Act and rules of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board have been flouted, and core environmental principles like the precautionary principle have been ignored.
The cumulative effect, the petition states, is a pattern of administrative inaction and regulatory failure inflicting "grave environmental harm" and escalating public health risks, including heart attacks, strokes, and chronic respiratory diseases. Notices have been sent to the state government, Bhopal Development Authority (BDA), Public Works Department (PWD), state and central pollution control boards, and the MP Environment Impact Assessment Authority.
The petitioners are seeking strict, enforceable directives from the tribunal. These include sector-wide emission curbs, serious enforcement of existing rules, an end to cosmetic fixes near monitoring stations, and a comprehensive citywide plan that treats breathable air as a non-negotiable fundamental right. The next hearing is scheduled for January 7.
