India, Jan. 22 -- The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) submitted its comprehensive long-term strategy to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, ostensibly to resolve the capital's perennial air pollution crisis. However, a close reading suggests it is less a bold strategy and more a bureaucratic resurrection: The plan recycles recommendations from its predecessor, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), from eight years ago, dressing them up with newer technology labels while stripping away specific targets and deadlines.

The Supreme Court has now directed the Delhi government, municipal bodies and NCR state agencies to submit action plans within four weeks detailing how they will execute CAQM's recommen...