SC DIRECTS DELHI-NCR STATES TO STRICTLY IMPLEMENT GRAP-IV

Air Quality Index in 'severe plus, category, curbs to stay even if index drops below 450, rules apex court

With the Air Quality Index entering into the 'severe plus, category choking the national capital, the Supreme Court on Monday directed all Delhi-NCR states to immediately set up teams to strictly enforce anti-pollution GRAP 4 restrictions, making it clear that the curbs will continue till further orders.Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 484 at 8 am on Monday, the worst this season. The AQI in certain areas also breached the 500 mark.

The court asserted that it is the constitutional duty of all states to ensure all citizens live in a pollution-free environment and "We make it clear that till further orders are passed by this court, implementation of stage 4 of GRAP will continue even if AQI level drops below 450," a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih directed as it sought compliance reports from Delhi NCR states and the Centre by Thursday.

It also faulted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for "delaying" the implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and said it followed a "wrong" approach.