A division Bench led by Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul has taken suo motu cognisance of the increasing pollution levels in West Bengal, particularly in Kolkata. This action has led to the registration of a suo motu public interest litigation before the Chief Justice’s division Bench. Additionally, two other public interest litigations (PILs) related to the issue have been consolidated with the suo motu public interest litigation.
The hearing regarding this matter is scheduled for January 28, with all parties associated with the previous public interest litigations instructed to appear in court on that day. Notices have been served to both the Central and West Bengal governments concerning the suo motu public interest litigation, with confirmation of receipt from the Union government.
The Calcutta High Court’s suo motu cognisance pertains to the escalating pollution levels and the deteriorating Air Quality Index (AQI) in Kolkata during the ongoing winter season. Kolkata has witnessed AQI levels surpassing those of Delhi on numerous occasions this winter, with a recent report highlighting the impact of toxic gaseous pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ground-level ozone (O3) on the city’s air quality in 2025.
According to a climate-tech entity, Respirer Living Sciences, Kolkata’s AQI was significantly influenced by these toxic gaseous pollutants on 82 days in 2025. The analysis, conducted using Respirer Living Sciences’ Atlas AQ Platform, emphasizes that while particulate matter remains a concern, the city’s air quality issues are increasingly diverse, with gaseous emissions playing a crucial role in daily health risks as observed in the report.
