The Supreme Court has made a big decision regarding the increasing air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. Now, schools for 10th and 12th classes will also remain closed in Delhi NCR.
Earlier, the Delhi government implemented GRAP-4, under which schools for students from 6th to 8th classes were ordered to close. Now, the Supreme Court has instructed the closure of 10th and 12th-grade schools as well.
The Supreme Court has stated that all classes up to 12th grade will only be conducted online. The court also directed the central and state governments to make immediate changes, such as closing schools and adjusting working hours, to provide relief to the public. These measures will remain in place even if the AQI drops below 450. The court is very serious about the issue of air pollution. During Monday’s hearing, the court also criticized the Delhi government strongly.
Supreme Court Criticizes the Delhi Government
The Supreme Court asked the Delhi government who will stop trucks from entering the city and how they will identify if a truck is carrying essential goods. A lawyer responded that traffic police check this, and they have a list of essential items.
The court also asked who is monitoring the ban on construction activities and whether anyone is inspecting sites. Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan informed the court that even inside the Supreme Court, construction is ongoing, with stones being cut and dust flying in the air.
Supreme Court Summons Secretary General
Justice Oka took this matter seriously and summoned the Supreme Court’s Secretary General. He added that the court would direct states to form committees to ensure that no construction work is allowed. The Supreme Court instructed the Delhi government to ensure that construction work is entirely stopped.
The court also questioned why GRAP-3 was not implemented immediately when the AQI crossed 401. It criticized the Delhi government for waiting 24 hours before enforcing it. The court asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit explaining how it is implementing the strict rules of GRAP-4.
Questions to the Central Government
The Supreme Court also questioned the central government. The court asked why the authorities relied on weather department predictions. Once AQI crossed 300, GRAP-3 should have been implemented. The central government explained that the weather conditions were different this year, with a western disturbance causing a sudden drop in temperature.
The court emphasized that instead of waiting and hoping for AQI to improve, immediate action should be taken. Even when AQI reached 418, the central government delayed implementing GRAP-3 by a day.
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
