Delhi-NCR air pollution: The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 19) directed Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to implement complete bans on firecrackers, similar to the measures in place in Delhi, due to the worsening air quality in the national capital and its neighboring areas.
The apex court further said that the ban on the sale of firecrackers in Delhi under the order of 19 December 2024 will continue and continuation will be considered in January 2025.
The Supreme Court today heard the issue of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, discussing the implementation of a year-round ban on firecrackers, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), and the enforcement of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Court directs states to pay alimony to affected workers by GRAP 4
The court also directed all the states in the NCR region to pay alimony to all the workers affected by GRAP 4. "The state governments should find out which workers are affected by GRAP 4. One should not depend only on registration on the portal to give allowance to the workers. If the court's instructions regarding giving alimony to the workers are not followed, then we will initiate action against the state governments under contempt of court. The state governments should file a reply on this issue by January 5."
The Supreme Court directed the NCR states to form several teams of police officers, revenue officials and officers of other departments and assign them the responsibility to visit the entry points of Delhi and monitor the compliance of GRAP IV measures.
Delhi AQI hits 451 entering severe plus category
Delhi's air quality plunged into the 'severe plus' category on Thursday, with a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 451 recorded at 4 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data. The city witnessed dangerously high levels of PM2.5, the primary pollutant, with 32 of the 35 monitoring stations recording air quality in the severe plus category.
Some areas recorded AQI readings as high as 470. The PM2.5 particles, measuring 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter pose significant health risks as they can penetrate deep into the lungs when inhaled.
The national capital remains under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes the most stringent anti-pollution measures. The measures involve a complete ban on construction activities and the entry of non-essential polluting trucks into the city.
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