Air pollution: SC refuses to relax Stage 4 GRAP curbs in Delhi, says 'lack of coordination among pollution control bodies'

PTC Web Desk: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to ease stringent measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), citing the need for a consistent decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI) across Delhi and neighbouring regions before considering any relaxation.

A Bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih criticised the authorities, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), for their lack of coordination. "Stage 4 of GRAP has seen minimal enforcement in the national capital," the Bench remarked while questioning the Delhi government on its efforts.

The court demanded details on the deployment of personnel tasked with enforcing restrictions, such as the ban on trucks entering Delhi. Highlighting findings from court commissioners, the Bench expressed concern over the absence of collaboration among key agencies. "It is the Commission’s responsibility to ensure coordination so that GRAP IV is implemented effectively," it noted.

The Supreme Court has also summoned the chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to appear via video conferencing on December 5 at 3:30 pm. The court will assess whether compensation has been provided to construction workers affected by the pollution-related bans.

In response to the court’s observations, Advocate Shadan Farasat, representing the Delhi government, assured that allegations of non-compliance would be investigated. However, he argued that isolated violations should not be generalised in a city with over 15 million residents.

The court, however, reiterated its stance that no relaxation of GRAP Stage 4 restrictions would be allowed without substantial improvement in air quality.