Delhi Air Pollution: Supreme Court to seek long-term solutions; GRAP IV restrictions to remain in place.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court reinforced the continuation of Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat severe air pollution in Delhi, directing that the measures remain in place until December 2. The Court, which was hearing the case about air pollution in Delhi, instructed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to convene a meeting to assess the possibility of easing some of the restrictions under GRAP IV.
A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih emphasized that all GRAP IV measures, except for school closures, will remain enforced through the coming days. The Court also raised concerns over implementing restrictions, particularly highlighting the failure to prevent trucks from entering Delhi despite ongoing GRAP IV measures. “There is a complete failure. The police were not involved, and trucks were allowed to enter without any mechanism to send them back,” observed Justice Oka, referring to a report submitted by the authorities.
The Court underscored the need for a long-term, sustainable solution in its ongoing efforts to tackle Delhi’s air pollution. It addressed key issues such as stubble burning, which contributes significantly to the pollution crisis, the unchecked entry of trucks from neighboring States, and the ban on firecrackers. The Court stressed the urgency of creating a mechanism to track stubble-burning activities 24/7, citing the inefficiency of States in taking swift action against farmers who engage in it. “Stubble burning is the root problem here, and the States are moving too slowly on it,” the Court remarked.
The Court also highlighted that it had been monitoring the actions taken by the Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh governments to reduce stubble burning. It had recently appointed 13 lawyers as ‘advocate commissioners’ to ensure the proper enforcement of truck entry restrictions in Delhi. The Court had earlier called for a review of the decision to close schools, especially for classes 10 to 12, and suggested that hybrid classes might be an alternative in the wake of severe air quality conditions.
Another key issue raised by the Court was the notification allowing certain activities, permitted under GRAP III, to continue despite the enforcement of GRAP IV. “The notification allows activities that were allowed under Stage III to continue. We do not understand the rationale behind this,” the Bench said. ASG Aishwarya Bhatti responded that neighboring States had also been urged to enforce the truck entry ban and assured the Court that the controversial notification would be withdrawn.
The Supreme Court also noted a report alleging that land revenue officers in Punjab were advising farmers to burn stubble after 4 PM, a move that could potentially worsen air pollution. The Court called for immediate action, ordering the Punjab government to instruct its officers to stop such advice. “If the report is true, it is a serious violation. The Punjab government must immediately direct its officers to cease such actions,” the Court said.
In conclusion, the Supreme Court remains committed to closely monitoring the air pollution situation in Delhi and the surrounding NCR to address immediate concerns and find lasting solutions. The Court has made it clear that it will continue to hear the matter in detail, focusing on implementing existing measures and exploring new strategies to mitigate the harmful effects of air pollution.