Delhi Pollution Supreme Court: The court said, ‘Graph-4 will remain in force till Monday i.e. 2 December. Only schools will be allowed to open. During this time, the commission will hold a meeting and suggest how to return from Graph-4 to Graph-3 or 2.
Supreme Court Pollution: There is an outcry in Delhi regarding air pollution. On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard the matter, in which the apex court questioned the attitude of Delhi Police. The court said that Delhi Police could not enforce the ban on the entry of trucks. Trucks entered Delhi and did not go back. Police was not present at the checkpost. On this, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing on behalf of the government, said, ‘Most of the trucks have entered from 13 entry points only’. The court said, ‘There was no police even at these 13 points. Police has been deployed there after the court’s order.’
Schools will remain open but Graph-4 will remain applicable
The court said, ‘Graph-4 will remain in force till Monday i.e. 2 December. Only schools will be allowed to open. During this time, the commission will hold a meeting and suggest how we can return from Graph-4 to Graph-3 or 2. The court further said that even if a stage lower than Graph-4 is implemented in the future, it is not necessary that all the restrictions of Graph-4 be removed.’
Supreme Court expressed concern over pollution
A bench of Justice Abhay S Oak and Justice Augustine George Masih said that the second report of the court commissioners has revealed the failure of the authorities in implementing GRAP-4. The judges also took cognizance of the media report from Punjab, in which a land record officer and Sangrur Block Patwari Union President are allegedly advising farmers to burn stubble after 4 pm so that it does not come under the satellite’s view.
Order given to Punjab to issue instructions
The court said, ‘If this news is true then it is a very serious matter. The officials of the Punjab government cannot allow any farmer to take advantage of the fact that the current activities are being monitored, which take place during certain hours of the day. The Punjab government should immediately issue instructions to all the officials not to engage in any such activity.’
Under GRAP-4, non-essential vehicles are not allowed to enter the capital Delhi. It was implemented in the year 2017 so that the problem of pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas could be dealt with strictly.
