New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (December 2) refused to relax the emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV to deal with air pollution in the national capital region, saying it wants to ensure that there is a downward trend of the Air Quality Index (AQI).
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, while hearing the matter of air pollution in Delhi and NCR, said that it will hear on Thursday on the aspect of relaxing the emergency measures under the GRAP-IV to deal with air pollution in the national capital region.
Apex Court pulled up authorities over inadequate implementation of GRAP-IV
The bench, during the hearing, pulled up authorities over inadequate implementation of the GRAP-IV to check the air pollution and directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to take further steps in communicating mitigation efforts to concerned authorities and coordinate to ensure implementation.
There is complete lack of coordination: Apex Court
The court said that “Very shocking things are revealed from reports of court commissioners and there is complete lack of coordination between the Delhi goverment, MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Board), CAQM and other authorities” and it is on the CAQM to ensure coordination so that GRAP-IV is implemented.
“We direct the CAQM to take further steps in communicating mitigation efforts to the concerned authorities and coordinate to ensure implementation. As regards the suggestion of modification of applicability of GRAP-IV stage, we will hear the parties on this aspect on Thursday,” the bench said.
Apex Court directed chief secretaries of NCR states to appear online
The bench, while taking note that none of the NCR states have complied with the direction to pay construction workers and no proof of even penny being paid to them have been shown, ordered the chief secretaries of the NCR states to remain present before the court through video conferencing on Thursday.
Court commissioners appointed by it were being intimidated, bench was informed
The court was also informed during the hearing that the court commissioners appointed by it were being intimidated and directed the Delhi Police to file a report before it about the action taken. It also said that the court commissioners can send email to nodal officer of Delhi for armed protection and armed guards shall be given instructions that they will not communicate the movements of the court commissioners.
The bench also directed the amicus to prepare fresh note on stubble burning and other issues.
The apex court had last week ordered that all GRAP-IV measures except for schools shall continue in the NCR till Monday.
