Supreme Court extends GRAP-4 restrictions in Delhi till December 2

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has extended emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-4 to combat air pollution in Delhi, ordering their continuation until December 2. However, school-related restrictions have been eased.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih expressed concerns over poor enforcement of GRAP-4 measures, citing a report from the court-appointed commissioner that highlighted administrative lapses.

The Centre argued that the Air Quality Index (AQI) was now under control, but the court maintained its stance, emphasizing the need to uphold restrictions. “All measures under GRAP-4, except for revised provisions related to schools, shall remain in effect until Monday,” the bench stated.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Management Commission has been directed to hold discussions and explore the possibility of transitioning to less stringent GRAP-3 or GRAP-2 measures. The court clarified that implementing every provision of GRAP-4 is not mandatory but necessary actions must be enforced to curb pollution effectively.