New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to ease the emergency measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) addressing air pollution in the national capital, stating it would only consider relaxation once a consistent decline in AQI levels is observed.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih also directed the chief secretaries of NCR states to appear via video conferencing on December 5 at 3:30 PM. They are to provide updates on whether compensation has been paid to construction workers affected by the restrictions.

The court emphasized that a sustained improvement in air quality is essential before lifting Stage 4 GRAP measures. Highlighting gaps in enforcement, the bench criticized the lack of implementation of these measures, particularly the ban on trucks entering Delhi.

Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, representing the Delhi government, assured the court that allegations of non-compliance would be addressed. Farasat also argued that isolated incidents of violations should not lead to the conclusion that the entire city of 15 million residents is disregarding the restrictions.

The matter remains under deliberation as the hearing continues.