Consider Opening Schools in Delhi-NCR: Supreme Court to CAQM
New Delhi : The Supreme Court, while hearing a case on pollution in Delhi-NCR, directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider reopening schools in the region. A bench led by Justice AS Oka instructed the commission to decide on this matter by tomorrow, November 26. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 28.
The court stated that restrictions under GRAP-4 will remain in effect in Delhi-NCR for now. It emphasized that these restrictions will continue until the court is assured of a reduction in pollution levels. Additionally, the court directed states under the NCR region to utilize funds collected as labor cess to support workers whose livelihood is affected by the halt in construction activities.
During the hearing, the court remarked that the Delhi government did not fully comply with GRAP-4 guidelines between November 18 and 23. Proper measures were not taken to prevent trucks from entering Delhi. The court questioned Delhi Police on why checkpoints were deployed at only 23 locations and stated that it might direct CAQM to take action against the Commissioner of Delhi Police under Section 14. The court also suggested issuing show-cause notices to relevant agencies for lapses in implementing GRAP-4 guidelines.
ASG Aishwarya Bhati opposed this move, arguing that the authorities should be allowed to explain the situation fully. She informed the court that after the orders, police personnel were deployed at all checkpoints.
Regarding the reopening of schools, Bhati highlighted that the AQI level had reached 324 today, despite being at GRAP-2 levels yesterday. She informed the court that physical classes remain suspended in schools across NCR, including Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. The court instructed the CAQM to take action against officials responsible for laxity in enforcing GRAP-4 guidelines.
On November 22, the Supreme Court had reprimanded the Delhi government and Delhi Police for failing to properly implement GRAP-4 directives issued by the CAQM. The court directed the central government to deploy police officers at all 113 entry points to Delhi and assigned monitoring responsibilities to volunteers from the Delhi Legal Services Authority.
