The Supreme Court of India rejected the plea to relax the emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4) in Delhi NCR. On Monday, the court insisted that the restrictions stay in place until there is a noticeable “downward trend” in the Air Quality Index (AQI).
The court has scheduled the next hearing for December 5, where it will review the ongoing effectiveness of the measures and consider potential modifications.
Court’s Strong Stance On Pollution Control
The bench, which had Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, felt it was not satisfied with the poor implementation of GRAP-4 measures, including some crucial restrictions such as truck entry ban and construction activity. The Justices said that the Delhi’s air quality continued to be a big concern even after the implementation of GRAP-4.
“There is hardly any implementation of stage 4 of GRAP to address air pollution in the national capital,” observed Justice Oka, seeking to know from the Delhi government how many officers have been deployed for dealing with such restrictions.
The court emphasized that key agencies in the government such as MCD, Delhi Police, and DPCC lacked coordination of higher order. It placed the responsibility on the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ensure effective coordination among these bodies and enforce the pollution control measures under GRAP-4. The court also raised concerns about the lack of compliance from the states in the National Capital Region (NCR), including Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, regarding a previous order to provide compensation to construction workers affected by the restrictions.
Review Meeting On Anti-Pollution Actions
December 5: The Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan have been asked to attend an online meeting for reporting about the steps being taken towards anti-pollution action in their respective areas. GRAP violations, including construction sites, are being probed by the Delhi government. Improved Air Quality of Delhi in Marginal Terms
Delhi’s air quality remained marginally better on Monday for the second successive day. Its AQI index moved from the very poor to poor category, with a reading of 273 in the morning compared to the 24-hour average AQI of 285 reported on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. This marks a change after 32 successive days of “very poor” or “severe” air quality, when the AQI levels had remained consistently over 400, causing huge impacts on public health.
Although this is a silver lining, the Supreme Court not willing to relax GRAP-4 measures indicates that Delhi NCR continues to need urgent attention to deal with air pollution. The court has stressed the need for enhanced enforcement and accountability from government agencies to address this air quality crisis in the region. The December 5 hearing will further determine how to enhance these measures and if further steps are required in order to mitigate the harmful impacts of air pollution.
