Delhi Government Faces Supreme Court's Wrath Over Choking Smog Crisis

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a stern warning to the Delhi government, urging it to immediately implement stricter measures to tackle the city's choking smog crisis, which has reached alarming levels.

The Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih lashed out at the government for its delay in implementing preventive measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), despite the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching critical levels.

The court sternly told the Delhi government that it cannot scale down the stringent measures without its prior permission, and will continue them until the order is modified by the court. The Bench also made it clear that it wants to know what concrete steps the government has taken to curb the rising pollution level.

The Delhi government had announced Stage 4 of GRAP on Sunday, banning trucks from entering the city due to soaring pollution levels, but the Supreme Court took umbrage with the delay in implementing these measures.

In light of the worsening air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had issued a notice on Sunday, ordering stricter pollution control measures under GRAP-4. However, it appears that some of these measures were not implemented swiftly enough to catch the court's attention.

The AQI reached a hazardous level of 457 by 7 pm on Monday, with unfavourable weather conditions exacerbating the situation. The Delhi government has been criticized for its inability to effectively manage pollution in the city, which is affecting citizen's health and well-being.

As the situation continues to unfold, the Supreme Court will closely monitor the implementation of these measures and take further action if necessary, to ensure that adequate steps are taken to tackle the choking smog crisis in Delhi.