NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said that all Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV measures except relating to schools will continue to be in place untill next hearing on December 2. The apex court also said that action against officials for ‘serious lapse’ in implementation of GRAP-IV measures needs to be expedited.
“We make it clear that all GRAP IV measures except the measures which are modified in respect of the schools will continue to operate till Monday. In the meantime, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) will hold a meeting and come out with the suggestion about moving from GRAP IV to GRAP III or GRAP II. We also make it clear that it is not necessary that all measures which are provided in GRAP IV should be dispensed with,” the court said.
Meanwhile, the CAQM told the Supreme Court that it has issued show cause notice to Delhi Police Commissioner, MCD Commissioner and Delhi transport department for non-compliance of its order regarding rising air pollution in the national capital.
Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said that the second report from court commissioners shows ‘abject failure’ of authorities to implement GRAP IV curbs in letter and spirit.
The justices also addressed a media report from Punjab where a land record officer and Sangrur Block Patwari Union president allegedly advised farmers to burn stubble after 4 PM to avoid satellite detection.
“We are not on the correctness of this news but if it is correct it is very serious. The (Punjab) state officials cannot permit any farmer to take advantage of the fact that at present activities are being detected which take place during few hours of the day. The Punjab government should immediately issue instructions to all officers not to indulge in any such activities,” the court said.
The CAQM later announced exemptions to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), relaxing the restrictions under Stage-III and IV regarding plying of BS IV Diesel and BS III petrol LMVs, permiting them to use them for their personal use.
GRAP-4 measures primarily focus on limiting the entry of non-essential goods vehicles into the national capital. The GRAP, introduced in 2017, comprises anti-pollution measures implemented in Delhi and surrounding areas based on pollution severity levels.
Earlier on Monday, the apex court had refused to relax the strict GRAP-IV measures being implement in Delhi-NCR but suggested that educational institutions in the National Capital Region (NCR) could reopen for physical classes.
The court said a large number of students cannot avail mid-day meals, online classes and do not have access to air purifiers.
The top court also came down heavily on the authorities, asking the CAQM to take action against the Delhi government, city police and others responsible for not complying with its order under GRAP-IV to prevent the entry of trucks into the national capital.
Despite permitting relaxation of GRAP-IV measures in order to allow physical classes, the court noted that it could not order curbs below GRAP-III or GRAP-II unless it is satisfied with the consistent decrease in the Air Quality Index (AQI).
The court also asked the state governments to use the labour cess it collected for the subsistence of the labourers during the construction ban.
