Delhi Stays Under Toxic Smog: Supreme Court Raps Government for Delay in Implementing Strict Measures
The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its concern over the slow pace of implementation of stricter measures to combat rising air pollution levels in Delhi, urging the city government not to scale down these measures without prior permission.
As the national capital continues to struggle with toxic smog, the top court asked the Delhi government to take steps to curb the alarming rise in pollution levels. The Bench warned that no preventive measures under GRAP-4 will be allowed to be scaled down without its prior approval.
The court took umbrage at the delay in implementing stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) even after the Air Quality Index (AQI) touched alarming levels. The counsel for Delhi government informed the Bench that stage 4 has been implemented from Monday, and heavy vehicles have been banned from entering the city.
However, the top court was not convinced with this move and warned that no scaling down of preventive measures under stage 4 will be allowed unless prior permission is obtained from it. "We won’t allow scaling down of preventive measures under stage 4 even if AQI goes below 450", said the Bench adding it will hear the matter in detail at the end of the day's work.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had announced stricter pollution control measures for Delhi-NCR under GRAP-4 on Sunday, effective from Monday. These measures included banning trucks, except those carrying essential items or using clean fuel, and prohibiting non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi.
The city's AQI worsened on Sunday, reaching 441 at 4 pm and rising to 457 by 7 pm due to unfavourable weather conditions. The CAQM had ordered that no trucks would be allowed into the city except for those carrying essential items or using clean fuel (LNG/CNG/BS-VI diesel/electric).
The Supreme Court's intervention comes as Delhi struggles with toxic air quality, leaving residents struggling to breathe. The government has come under criticism for its inability to control pollution levels and for not taking adequate measures to improve the city's air quality.
In a bid to boost air quality, the Centre had also imposed its own set of restrictions, including a ban on diesel generators and vehicles older than ten years in Delhi-NCR.
However, the top court remains skeptical about the government's ability to control pollution levels and has warned that it will not hesitate to take stringent measures if the situation doesn’t improve.