Top court chose burning crackers over ‘right to live’: Amitabh Kant
text_fields
New Delhi: Over the severe air pollution issue in New Delhi that intensified critically after Diwali night, India’s 2023 G20 Summit Sherpa Amitabh Kant said that Delhi's air quality "lies in shambles" and only "ruthless and sustained execution" of pollution control can save Delhi from "health and environmental catastrophe". The former CEO of the Niti Aayog also said that the Supreme Court chose the right to burn crackers over the right to live and breathe.
Following a night of relentless bursting of firecrackers, Delhi was covered with a thick layer of toxic air on Tuesday morning. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 357, which is the ‘very poor’ category according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
Following a night of relentless bursting of firecrackers, Delhi was covered with a thick layer of toxic air on Tuesday morning (representational image).
"Delhi's air quality lies in shambles: 36/38 monitoring stations have hit the 'red zone,' AQI is above 400 in key areas. The Hon. Supreme Court in its wisdom has prioritised the right to burn crackers over the right to live and breathe. Delhi remains among the world's most polluted capital. If Los Angles, Beijing, and London can do it, why can't Delhi? Only ruthless and sustained execution can save Delhi from this health and environmental catastrophe," Kant wrote on X.
Delhi’s air quality lies in shambles: 36/38 monitoring stations have hit the 'red zone,' AQI is above 400 in key areas. The Hon. Supreme Court in its wisdom has prioritised the right to burn crackers over the right to live and breathe. Delhi remains among the world’s most…
— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) October 21, 2025
He also shared a news report on the air quality in the national capital.
Earlier in October, the top court lifted the ban on bursting crackers but allowed Delhi residents to use green crackers. The court said that it was adopting a balanced approach, “taking into account the conflicting interests and permit in moderation, while not compromising the environmental concerns arising", NDTV reported.
"A unified action plan is vital - to end crop and biomass burning, shut or modernise thermal power plants and brick kilns with cleaner tech, shift all transport to electric by 2030, enforce strict construction dust control, ensure full waste segregation and processing, and redesign Delhi around green, walkable, transit-focused living. Only such decisive & relentless execution can restore the city's blue skies and breathable air," Amitabh Kant added in his X post.