The Supreme Court on Thursday 5 Dec ended
restrictions under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in Delhi
and the National Capital Region (NCR), with the Capital’s air quality index
(AQI) “moderate” for the second straight day, even as the bench urged the
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to lower the thresholds for the
two most stringent sections of the anti-pollution plan by 50 AQI points.
The bench, headed by
justiceAbhay S Oka, also pulled up the Delhi government for not paying a
subsistence allowance to workers who were unemployed during the construction
ban under Grap Stage 4.
Thursday’s order brought
to an end restrictions on the use of older vehicles, construction, and
demolition – measures which have been in place under Grap Stages 3 and 4 since
November 15, when Delhi was in the throes of a severe pollution crisis.
It, however, only
allowed CAQM to drop anti-pollution measures to Grap Stage 2.“Considering the data placed before us, we
do not think it will be appropriate for CAQM to go below Grap Stage 2,” said
the bench, also comprising justice Augustine George Masih.