A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva said air pollution in certain areas of Delhi, such as Anand Vihar, is at "hazardous levels". It directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to give "standards of air quality as prescribed by statute and notification".

The court issued the directions while hearing a PIL on the problem of poor ambient air quality in Delhi, an issue taken up suo motu and in which it has also appointed an amicus curiae. It directed the Delhi Geospatial Authority to provide the pollution map on the suggestion of the amicus.

The bench also directed DPCC to furnish data with regard to air quality being monitored by the authority at six different locations in Delhi. It said the data has to be provided from each monitoring station on the levels of pollution recorded during various times of the day over a period of one week, and said "we want to see results."

"We will judge your (authorities) performance as per the air quality index of the capital," the bench observed. The court took up the issue on its own after it came across news reports that Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world. The bench had also come across information that over 50% of children in Delhi suffered from respiratory trouble caused by poor ambient air quality.

DPCC had on February 6 informed the court that a matter regarding environment pollution is pending before the apex court, while another petition on air pollution in Delhi and surrounding states is before the National Green Tribunal. DPCC had also informed the court that several comprehensive orders have been issued by NGT in this regard.