Delhi’s air remains toxic, SC flags failure to curb entry of trucks
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed deep dissatisfaction over the Delhi government’s failure to enforce critical anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4). The measures, which include restrictions on the entry of trucks carrying non-essential goods, were mandated to combat the deteriorating air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR).
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih directed the immediate establishment of check posts at all 113 entry points to Delhi. Alarmingly, only 13 of these points were manned, allowing unchecked entry of vehicles, a significant source of pollution.
Observing a marginal decline in air quality but a lack of effective enforcement, the apex court scheduled a review of the GRAP-4 restrictions for November 25. These stringent curbs were imposed after Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the hazardous 450 mark earlier this week.
The court appointed 13 Supreme Court lawyers as commissioners to inspect the 113 entry points and report back on the enforcement of restrictions. “Of the 113 entry points, almost 100 are unmanned. This makes it very difficult for us to assume that the entry of banned trucks has been stopped,” the bench noted. Delhi Police was directed to facilitate these inspections and submit CCTV footage from all operational checkpoints to the amicus curiae, senior advocate Aparajita Singh.
On Friday, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI rose to 393 from 371 the previous day, edging closer to the “severe” threshold of 400. Out of 35 monitoring stations in the city, 22 reported “severe” air quality. PM2.5 and PM10 pollutants were found to be the primary contributors, with PM2.5 levels at 194 µg/m³ and PM10 at 325 µg/m³, far exceeding safe limits.
The Centre’s Decision Support System (DSS) attributed 15.16 per cent of Delhi’s pollution to vehicular emissions, while stubble burning accounted for 17.9 per cent of PM2.5 levels on Thursday.
The grim air quality has had severe societal repercussions. Children, unable to attend school due to GRAP-4 curbs, remain vulnerable to toxic air within their homes. “The consequences of GRAP-4 are drastic and adversely affect several sections of society,” the bench observed.
Currently, Stage 4 restrictions remain in place. These include a ban on non-essential truck entry, halting construction activities, and suspension of physical classes in schools. However, compliance has been patchy, drawing sharp criticism from the Supreme Court.
As traditional measures fall short, the Delhi government has repeatedly urged the Centre to explore artificial rain through cloud seeding. However, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) flagged logistical and scientific limitations, citing inadequate moisture in northern India during winters as a hindrance.
Cloud seeding operations, costing approximately Rs 3 crore for minimal coverage of 100 km², require pre-existing clouds with at least 50 per cent moisture—a condition seldom met during the season.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has written to the Union Environment Ministry four times, stressing the urgency of cloud seeding. Despite some improvement in AQI levels in recent days, Rai emphasised the need for sustained action to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
Farm fires in neighbouring states continue to compound Delhi’s pollution woes. On Friday alone, Punjab reported 147 incidents of stubble burning, Haryana 17, and Uttar Pradesh 232. Between September 15 and November 22, Punjab recorded 10,443 incidents, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 4,100 and Haryana with 1,210.
The issue of farm fires has been a contentious political topic, with farmers citing a lack of viable alternatives to dispose of crop residue. The Supreme Court has previously underscored the constitutional obligation of state governments to ensure citizens breathe clean air.
Adding to the crisis, Delhi’s chilly weather conditions and shallow fog have exacerbated the pollution by trapping particulate matter near the surface. On Friday, the maximum temperature stood at 27.2°C, while the minimum was recorded at 11°C, slightly below normal.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast shallow fog for Saturday, with temperatures expected to hover between 28°C and 10°C.
