NEW DELHI: Senior lawyer and Amicus Curiae in the Delhi pollution case, Aparajita Singh, on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that there has been some relief in the matter, as the Delhi government and the Centre are no longer in conflict.
The apex court bench, led by Justice Abhay S. Oka, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the submissions made by the Amicus Curiae.
The Court remarked that while the two parties may no longer be at odds, it does not necessarily mean they will take proactive measures. "We aren't agreeing with the submissions," the bench stated.
The Court directed that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Centre for Air Quality Management (CAQM) must work in unison, and that the CAQM's measures must be implemented in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to effectively reduce pollution.
During the hearing, the Union government sought a direction from the Court to ease the GRAP-IV measures currently implemented in Delhi. However, the Court refused to issue any such direction and scheduled the matter for further hearing in one week.
The hearing was based on a plea filed by noted environmentalist M.C. Mehta, seeking proper and effective implementation of measures to reduce pollution in Delhi-NCR.
The Court highlighted that pollution levels could increase unexpectedly, stating, "One cannot be too sure when the pollution levels might shoot up again." It emphasized that all respective agencies must work collectively to address the issue.
Regarding industrial pollution, the Court noted that it had considered the action plan suggested by the CAQM. "Since the CAQM is constituted under the Environmental Protection Act, its recommendations must be implemented in all cities facing air pollution problems, not just in Delhi," the Court opined.
It is also significant to note that the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in Delhi and NCR based on the severity of the situation. Restrictions under GRAP III and IV are implemented when the air quality reaches severe levels.
