Pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR: Grap-4 continues, Supreme Court to review curbs on Monday

NEW DELHI: Stringent restrictions imposed under Grap-4 to tackle the pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR will continue at least till Dec 2, when Supreme Court will take a call on relaxing the measures based on the air quality in the capital. The court on Thursday also said that all curbs should not be dispensed with at one go, reports Amit Anand Choudhary.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will continue to work in hybrid mode, as per the court's earlier order.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih asked Commission of Air Quality Management(CAQM) to record air quality for the next three days and file a report on Dec 2.

'Abject failure' in enforcing GRAP curbs, says SC
The SC suggested that a mix of restrictions under Grap-3 and 4 could be imposed instead of withdrawing the entire set of restrictions under stage 4. "We make it clear that all Grap-4 measures except the ones which are modified in respect of the schools will continue to operate till Monday," the bench said.

The court again pulled up authorities for not implementing Grap-4 restrictions on barring the entry of trucks into the city and stopping construction work. Advocate Manan Verma, who is one of the 13 court commissioners appointed to check Grap-4 implementation, informed the court that construction work was going on across Delhi, particularly in upscale colonies in south Delhi. Backed by pictures, Verma's report to the court said construction and renovation work was going on abated at the houses of senior officials of Hudco, Bhel, HAL and ITPO in Asian Games Village and also in Gulmohar Park and Defence Colony.

Taking note of the report and pictures, the bench directed CAQM to take action against the violators and also officials who failed to perform their duty to enforce the law. Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for CAQM, said that the commission had issued show-cause notices to Delhi Police commissioner, MCD commissioner and other authorities for non-compliance of its order not to allow entry of trucks into Delhi.

The bench said the court commissioners' reports indicated "abject failure" on the part of authorities in implementing Grap-4 measures. "The immediate issue which needs to be addressed is that trucks are allowed to enter Delhi and then after travelling some distance, they take a U-turn to go back. This issue also needs to be addressed," the bench said.

Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, suggested that the bench pass an order to bar entry of polluting trucks in NCR and that checking points should be set up at NCR borders and not on Delhi borders.

The court also pulled up CAQM for issuing a clarification to allow certain construction activities in Delhi-NCR when Grap-4 was in force, and directed it to immediately withdraw the circular.