My Lord, save us from pollution! 

November 11, 2025

Abhishek Vij

Air pollution and global warming pose a significant threat to human existence worldwide. This threat is becoming evident in India. These days, there’s a lot of concern about air pollution. This issue isn’t limited to Punjab, Haryana, or Delhi. No matter how many claim that Punjab is causing pollution in Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently rejected this argument outright, saying, “Haryana lies between Punjab and Delhi, but why is the entire blame for stubble burning placed solely on Punjab?”

Scientifically, we find that this suffocating pollution is rampant not only in Delhi but also in cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bengaluru. The Central Pollution Control Board has also acknowledged that the air in all these cities is far more suffocating than the required standards. Now, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by the Fit India Movement, demanding that air pollution in India is increasing alarmingly. Since efforts to curb it have failed, the Supreme Court should declare a public health emergency in the country. Filing such a petition also signifies the high respect for the judiciary in the country. We Indians fully respect our laws. If the Supreme Court itself declares an emergency on pollution, the public may refrain from their past practices out of fear of punishment and become more vigilant about air pollution. The country is belatedly expecting this.

The country is suffering the brunt of pollution in the form of missing seasons, failing crops, and eroding investments. The petition not only demands an emergency but also calls for the formation of a National Task Force on Air Quality and Health Index. With its help, a complete ban should be imposed on the burning of all agricultural residues, whether rice or wheat. This petition is more comprehensive because it critiques the current government policies and their functioning. The shortcomings of the country’s regulatory system have been highlighted. It has also been stated that no concrete action has yet been taken against those violating regulations and causing air pollution.

This petition acknowledges for the first time that air pollution is not only caused by stubble burning, but also by vehicles that emit nitrogen oxides. It may be recalled that recently, when air pollution in Delhi increased sharply, the entry of such vehicles into Delhi was also banned. However, equipment, vehicles, or waste that has been scrapped and piled up as garbage also contribute to pollution. For example, while traveling from Delhi to Punjab, mountains of garbage can be seen along the Delhi border; this is also a major source of air pollution. Perhaps efforts to control pollution can be successfully accomplished by declaring a public health emergency.

The question arises as to whether filing this petition in the Supreme Court or a strict Supreme Court decision on it will solve the problem of air pollution, as air pollution is caused by the blind race of developing countries to become modern. New factories are being built, and automated machinery is being installed in farms, so they cannot be stopped. Therefore, the question is not of an emergency, but of a spontaneous awakening. This awakening has not yet occurred. Now, with the waters rising above their heads, perhaps people will awaken.