Delhi pollution: The Supreme Court on Friday said the Delhi Police had “failed to comply” with the clauses under the GRAP Stage IV. It also expressed displeasure with the Delhi government’s reply on compliance with Stage-4 curbs. The SC also appointed 13 lawyers to check if the ban on the entry of diesel/polluting trucks from other states is being properly implemented.
The SC was hearing the case on Delhi pollution. It had earlier sought action-taken reports by the authorities in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, explaining what steps had been implemented to stop stubble burning in the wake of extreme air pollution in Delhi.
The Delhi AQI at the time of the Supreme Court hearing was in the ‘very poor’ category at 482.
The court had recently called for the closure of physical classes at Delhi schools.
“So far as compliance is concerned, we are not satisfied. The Delhi government has not stated clearly as to at how many entry points there are officers present to comply with measures of GRAP Stage IV,” the SC order read.
“The Amicus Curie told us that there are a total of 113 entry points. CCTV cameras are installed only at 13. It seems that trucks are entering from the rest of the points. We are ordering the Delhi government and the Delhi Police to immediately set up checkposts at all 113 places,” the order further read.
The court also sought the footage of the 13 entry points where CCTV cameras are installed. It seems that no investigation is being carried out at the rest of the 100 checkpoints. “We are happy that 13 young lawyers have volunteered to work as court commissioners. These court commissioners should be given facilities and necessary security to visit the entry points of Delhi,” the two-judge Bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih said.
On Monday, the Court had directed that the GRAP-IV curbs must continue even if AQI falls below 450.
Senior lawyer Gopal Shankar Narayan cited media reports and alleged that trucks were entering Delhi without hindrance after paying bribes.
The Delhi government argued that the transport department officials did stop trucks from entering Delhi, but the court said that it was not clear from the records how many checkpoints had been set up to stop the vehicles. GRAP Stage-4 mandates all trucks to be stopped except those carrying essential goods