Not acceptable that children need to wear masks to play outside: SC judge Justice Vikram Nath

New Delhi: Supreme Court Judge Justice Vikram Nath on Saturday laid stress on the need to regulate emissions and invest in cleaner technologies to combat pollution, saying it was unacceptable for children to grow up in an environment where they needed masks to play in the open.

Justice Nath also said there was a need to explore solutions which struck a balance between economic growth and environmental wellbeing and that government policies must focus on green technologies.

He was speaking during the inaugural session of the National Conference on Environment - 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan. President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest at the event.

"The capital city of India regularly experiences high levels of pollution. I believe we can all agree that it is not acceptable for our children to grow up in an environment where they need masks to play outside or worry about respiratory ailments at a young age," Justice Nath said.

"This is an urgent call for action, a signal that we must come together to regulate emissions, invest in cleaner technologies and think of sustainable transport options that allow economic progress without compromising the air we breathe," he said.

He flagged water pollution as another key concern, saying many sacred and pristine rivers had been burdened with untreated waste.

"When I see these riversides, I feel a mix of nostalgia and concern … Nostalgia for how vibrant and pure these waters once were and concern for our inability to preserve them in their natural glory. Treating industrial effluent, enhancing sewage infrastructure and encouraging local communities to maintain cleanliness along riverbanks are essential steps," Justice Nath said.

Applauding the role of the National Green Tribunal, the apex court judge said the green body had emerged as a beacon of hope since its establishment in 2010 and played a pivotal role in streamlining the resolution of environmental disputes.

By championing "polluter pays" and precautionary principles, the tribunal has pushed industries, government bodies and citizens to rethink the use of natural resources, he added.

Regarding the solutions, Justice Nath said, "The government's policies must encourage green technologies. Industries must be mindful of their environmental footprint and civil society must continue raising awareness and holding us accountable." He said while the judiciary was committed to upholding the constitutional guarantee to a healthy environment and ensuring that green violations were checked, no single institution could accomplish the monumental task of environmental protection alone.

"It is when we work in tandem that we can create meaningful and lasting transformation in the days ahead. Let us remember why we are here. We are here because we believe that progress does not have to be through pollution and that development can and must be in harmony with nature," the Supreme Court judge said.

"Let us leave with the understanding that the environment is not an external entity we manipulate at will. It is an extension of our collective souls, intrinsically linked to our health, culture, economy and spirit," he said.

"When we protect nature, we protect ourselves and it is with that spirit of unity and responsibility that I urge all of us to continue this journey forging a future where India stands tall as a symbol of sustainable growth and environmental harmony," he added.

Speaking at the event, National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said the conference "stands out for its inclusivity, bringing together jurists, experts, faculty and students, all united by a commitment to sustainability" and that it had been carefully designed to address environmental challenges through four technical sessions.

Attorney General R Venkataramani said urbanisation meant an increase in energy consumption that, in turn, led to an increase in the exploitation of natural resources.

"I consider that our regulatory bodies need radical changes. Lack of social awareness and social acknowledgement of environmental consciousness or serious impediments that deserve deeper engagement," he said.

"I also think that the corpus of environmental laws need to be redesigned, and the conventional framework where citizen involvement and engagement is in a mass measure is absent, and this will have to be addressed. We need to go beyond mere penal and coercive enforcement systems," he added.