In a stern rebuke, the Supreme Court criticized Delhi Police for its inadequate implementation of pollution control measures, describing their approach as a “serious lapse” in managing the city’s air quality crisis.
Supreme Court busts at Delhi Police concerning pollution control
A bench led by Justice AS Oka expressed strong disapproval of the police’s limited deployment, with only 23 checkpoints established during Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on November 18.
The court warned of potential prosecution of the Delhi Police Commissioner under the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Act.
Here’s what the Supreme Court bench said:
“Why were the Police not directed to take action under Stage 4 of the GRAP? We will direct prosecution against all officials,” the bench stated, highlighting the systemic failure in executing pollution control protocols.
The court revealed that border checkpoints were primarily manned by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s toll collection staff, not law enforcement personnel. When Advocate Shadan Farasat defended the government’s position, the court demanded written evidence of instructions issued to police on November 18.
GRAP 4 will be continued
While refusing to relax GRAP IV measures, the court showed compassion towards students, directing CAQM to consider relaxations that would enable access to midday meals, online classes, and air purifiers.
In a significant move, the Supreme Court has appointed 13 court commissioners to verify GRAP IV implementation, with initial reports submitted on Monday (November 25).
The bench’s critical observations underscored a fundamental issue: “You could have concluded that trucks don’t enter through these points only if you put someone there to monitor.”
This judicial intervention highlights the urgent need for comprehensive and rigorous enforcement of pollution control measures in the national capital, where air quality remains a critical public health concern.
