The Supreme Court on Monday voiced its concerns over the ineffective enforcement of anti-pollution measures under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the National Capital Region (NCR). This comes amid an alarming rise in air pollution, which has pushed Delhi’s air quality into hazardous territory.
The top court, while refusing to entertain requests for easing GRAP-IV restrictions, emphasized that a final decision would be taken only after hearing all parties on December 5.
Taking note of the economic impact on laborers, the bench directed the chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to appear virtually and provide updates on compensation being paid to construction workers. Restrictions under GRAP-IV include a ban on construction activities, leaving thousands of daily-wage workers without income.
This isn’t the first time the apex court has slammed authorities over their handling of the pollution crisis. Last Thursday, the court had sharply criticized the failure to enforce restrictions, including stopping the entry of trucks into Delhi. It highlighted a complete breakdown in coordination between agencies tasked with implementing GRAP measures.
The court directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to review GRAP-IV measures. The court suggested a hybrid approach, blending measures from lower stages such as GRAP-III and GRAP-II, while retaining key restrictions from GRAP-IV.
