Calcutta High Court takes suo motu cognisance of worsening AQI in Kolkata, issues notice to State
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Pollution (air, water, plastic)· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Calcutta High Court took suo motu cognisance of worsening air quality in Kolkata and issued a notice to the State Government to respond by February 28th.
Background
The court is hearing a PIL filed by advocate Akash Sharma alleging that hazardous air quality violates the right to life and health. Professor Abhijit Chatterjee of the Bose Institute attributed the pollution to increased pollutant accumulation, cold weather, and waste burning.
Facts for Prelims
- PlaceKolkata: City facing worsening Air Quality Index (AQI) and hazardous air quality levels.
- S&TNitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone: Identified as toxic gaseous pollutants requiring expert attention.
- FactFebruary 28th: Deadline set by Calcutta High Court for the state government's response.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the constitutional implications of deteriorating air quality on the Right to Life and the role of the judiciary in enforcing environmental standards.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Judicial activism: Balancing court-mandated deadlines with the state's administrative capacity to implement pollution controls
- Public health crisis: Correlation between waste burning practices and hazardous nitrogen dioxide levels in urban corridors
Keywords: Suo motu cognisance · Right to Life · Public Interest Litigation · Pollutant accumulation · Judicial oversight
More Environment & Ecology notes
- Around 150 dead olive ridley sea turtles washed ashore in Srikakulam district · 24 January 2026
- Environment Minister directs officials to take precautionary measures to prevent forest fires · 23 January 2026
- Whale shark sighting off Visakhapatnam sparks fresh focus on marine conservation · 23 January 2026
- Hesaraghatta Grassland: Is the grass greener with the new tag? · 23 January 2026
- CAQM report says “secondary particulate” top cause of Delhi winter pollution · 22 January 2026
- First State-wise raptor assessment to be held in Tamil Nadu · 21 January 2026
Something wrong, or something missing?
Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.
This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.