The Supreme Court of India on Monday acknowledged the growing concern of air pollution across the country, describing it as a "pan-India" problem. In response, the court directed the government to submit a list of cities facing the highest levels of air pollution. The bench, consisting of Justices Abhay S Oka and Manmohan, emphasized the need for a nationwide approach to combat the issue, similar to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) established for the Delhi-NCR region.

The court stressed that the efforts to combat air pollution should not be limited to the national capital, urging that the machinery used to address air quality in Delhi should be replicated for other cities across India. "Give a list of other major cities with the problem of air pollution and whether, for those cities, some machinery can be created. We will expand this issue pan India. We should not give a wrong signal that sitting in the Supreme Court we are only dealing with air pollution in Delhi," the bench stated.

This move comes as concerns about deteriorating air quality have spread beyond Delhi, with several other cities across the country experiencing alarming levels of pollution, especially during the winter months. The Supreme Court?s intervention signals a broader push to address air quality issues and hold state governments accountable for their role in mitigating pollution nationwide.