In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has lifted the restrictions under Stage-4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This decision follows an improvement in the city’s air quality, which has remained “moderate” for two consecutive days. The bench, headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka, has also urged the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to reduce the thresholds for the two most stringent stages of the anti-pollution plan by 50 AQI points.
The restrictions imposed under Grap Stage-4, which included the use of older vehicles and a ban on construction and demolition, were enforced in mid-November when Delhi’s air quality plunged into a severe crisis. However, with the air quality improving, the court deemed it appropriate to revoke the measures and bring down the restrictions to Stage-2. This includes the continuation of the ban on construction activities and the usage of old vehicles, but only in the event of a further deterioration of air quality.
The decision was made in light of Delhi’s recent air quality improvement. On Thursday, the city’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 165 at 4 p.m., the lowest recorded in December since 2022. This marks a significant shift from the “very poor” and “severe” categories, which had dominated the air quality readings for over a month. As of Wednesday, the AQI had moved into the “poor” zone and is now in the “moderate” range.
While the court granted relief by lifting Stage-4 restrictions, it emphasized that the CAQM should take immediate action and implement Stage-3 measures if the AQI rises above 350, and Stage-4 if it crosses 400. The threshold for Stage-3, which is currently triggered when the AQI reaches 400, may now be lowered by 50 points, with Stage-4 measures being implemented at an AQI of 450.
The bench also criticized the Delhi government for not ensuring timely subsistence allowances for workers impacted by the construction ban. A total of 90,000 workers, registered on a Delhi government portal, had only received a ₹2,000 payment out of their entitled ₹8,000. The court ordered that the remaining payments be processed immediately, and directed that the Delhi government take proactive steps to identify unregistered workers and facilitate their registration.
Additionally, the court urged state governments in the NCR region—Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan—to improve their coordination and speed up the disbursement of allowances to construction workers. The UP government, for instance, reported that only 8,000 out of over 488,000 registered workers received the allowance, which the court deemed insufficient.
In conclusion, while the lifting of Stage-4 restrictions provides relief to Delhi’s residents, the court’s ongoing scrutiny highlights the need for better coordination and accountability among authorities to combat the city’s air pollution and safeguard the welfare of its workers. The next hearing is scheduled for December 12.
Sources By Agencies