Delhi Air Pollution: Amidst the ongoing air quality crisis in Delhi, residents are increasingly turning to air purifiers to safeguard their health. With the demand for these devices surging, their prices have also spiked. In response, the Delhi High Court has stepped in, urging the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council to reconsider the tax rate on air purifiers, given the severe pollution levels in the national capital.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court issued directions to the GST Council to convene at the earliest and explore the possibility of lowering or even abolishing the GST on air purifiers. The court expressed concern over the mounting air pollution and emphasised that such devices have become essential for public health and safety.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela scheduled the matter for December 26, giving the counsel for the authorities time to inform the court about when the GST Council could meet.
"This is the minimum that you can do. Every citizen requires fresh air. If you can't do it, minimum you can do is reduce GST. Give an exemption for 15 days on a temporary basis. Treat this situation as an emergency. Take instructions and tell us now. Tell us now when will you come back with instruction. We will place it during vacation but only for compliance. How many times do you breath in a day? 21,000 times. Just calculate the harm you are doing to yourself. We want instructions at 2:30. We will keep it for compliance during vacations," the Court remarked.
The court expressed displeasure with the authorities’ inaction regarding granting an exemption from taxes on air purifiers in this "emergency situation", especially with the air quality index (AQI) currently rated as 'very poor'.
The PIL petition, filed by advocate Kapil Madan, sought a reduction in GST for air purifiers by classifying them as "medical devices". Currently, air purifiers are taxed at 18 per cent, but the petition argues that they should be subject to the lower 5 per cent GST slab.
He argued that air purifiers should not be treated as luxury items given the "extreme emergency crisis" caused by severe air pollution in Delhi. It stated that access to clean indoor air has become essential for health and survival.
"Imposition of GST at the highest slab on air purifiers, a device that has become indispensable for securing minimally safe indoor air, renders such equipment financially inaccessible to large segments of the population and thereby imposes an arbitrary, unreasonable, and constitutionally impermissible burden," the plea said.
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Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality showed some improvement on Wednesday morning, the situation remains dire. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI improved slightly from the 'severe' category to 'very poor', registering 336 in the morning, down from 415 on Tuesday.
The national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 336 in the morning, as against 415 on Tuesday, the CPCB data showed. According to the CPCB's Sameer app, 36 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded an AQI in the 'very poor' category. Nehru Nagar recorded the highest reading of 392.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.