New Delhi, November 22, 2024: The Supreme Court has ordered that GRAP-IV, the fourth stage of anti-pollution measures for Delhi and its surrounding National Capital Region (NCR), will remain in effect for the next 72 hours.
The city’s air quality index (AQI) remains in the ‘very poor’ category, registering at 371 on Friday morning.
Justice Abhay S. Oka, while addressing the matter, suggested that the court would review the situation again on Monday. “On Monday, we will examine the compliance of our orders by the Delhi government, and then we will decide whether to downgrade the measures from GRAP-IV to GRAP-II,” he stated, emphasizing the court’s oversight over the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The court also raised concerns about the enforcement of restrictions on trucks entering Delhi. Under GRAP-IV, trucks and commercial vehicles carrying non-essential goods are prohibited from entering the capital. However, the court questioned the adequacy of this enforcement, demanding more action from the Delhi government.
“Tell us how you’re stopping the entry of trucks? We want a team of experts to monitor the truck entry points into the NCR, and then we will take a call,” the court said, highlighting its dissatisfaction with the government’s response.
The court dismissed the Delhi government’s claim that the truck ban was being properly enforced, calling it “arbitrary.” Justice Oka stated, “This is meaningless if you’re not providing the list of the entry points. It cannot be verified.” The Delhi government has been directed to clarify its enforcement measures in greater detail.
