Mon Nov 18 10:58:25 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Hearing on Delhi’s Air Pollution Interrupted by On-Site Construction
**New Delhi** – A Supreme Court hearing addressing Delhi’s dangerously high air quality took an unexpected turn today when a senior lawyer revealed ongoing construction work on the court premises, directly contradicting an existing construction ban.
The bench, hearing petitions related to the city’s toxic air, was already questioning authorities over the delayed implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) aimed at curbing pollution. With Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) hovering around 500 – ten times the healthy level – the justices expressed concern over the ineffective implementation of GRAP 4 restrictions, enacted when the AQI surpasses 450.
Justice A.S. Oka questioned the monitoring of the construction ban, prompting senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan to reveal ongoing construction outside courtroom 11, generating significant dust. Shocked, Justice Oka immediately summoned the Supreme Court’s secretary general.
The court sharply criticized the authorities for their reactive approach to the deteriorating AQI, stating that restrictions should be implemented proactively rather than waiting for worsening conditions. The bench mandated the continued enforcement of GRAP 4 restrictions across the National Capital Region (NCR), regardless of any temporary AQI improvement, and directed all state and central governments to submit compliance affidavits by Thursday. Furthermore, the court ordered the establishment of monitoring committees to ensure strict compliance with the GRAP 4 measures. The unexpected discovery of construction within the court complex highlighted the pervasive nature of the pollution problem and the challenges in enforcing even the most basic environmental regulations.
First Piper 