Supreme Court Upholds GRAP Stage IV Measures Amid Severe Delhi Air Quality Crisis

The Supreme Court ruled that GRAP Stage IV measures will continue until December 2, except in schools. The Commission for Air Quality Management is set to review and suggest easing the restrictions. Concerns over stubble burning in Punjab and failure to restrict truck entry in Delhi were also highlighted.

The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that the stringent measures under GRAP Stage IV, aimed at combating the critically poor air quality in Delhi, will continue until December 2, with an exception in place for schools. The decision was made by a bench consisting of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, who stated that during this period, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is expected to convene and consider easing the restrictions by transitioning from GRAP IV to GRAP III or GRAP II.

The justices emphasized that while modifications have been made for schools, the measures overall must remain until further review. The CAQM is to provide insights into whether a combination of measures from different GRAP stages could be implemented. Furthermore, the court expressed serious concerns over reports of officials in Punjab permitting stubble burning after 4 PM, allegedly to evade satellite detection, highlighting the gravity of the issue if confirmed.

The court criticized state authorities, noting that advising farmers to exploit the limited detection times was unacceptable and instructed the Punjab government to take immediate corrective actions. Additionally, the court reviewed reports indicating a significant lapse in preventing truck entry into Delhi, as mandated under GRAP Stage IV restrictions, stating that enforcement by police was notably absent. The court's attention was centered on addressing the ongoing pollution challenges faced by Delhi-NCR.

(With inputs from agencies.)