New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to implement Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-II in the national capital with additional measures.  A bench headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka permitted the CAQM to continue with GRAP Stage-II restrictions with additional measures which are part of Stage-III norms. The Bench, also comprising Justice A.G. Masih, reiterated that restrictions under GRAP-III restrictions should be imposed if the AQI crosses 350 and GRAP-IV if the AQI goes above 400 in the coming time.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for CAQM, said that the Commission did not intend to recommend restrictions below GRAP-II. The apex court asked the state governments of Delhi and adjoining states to take a call on permanent ban on use of firecrackers. Asking the state governments to place their stand on record, the Supreme Court said that it will issue guidelines, including on the manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of firecrackers.

Further, it said that it will continue monitoring the payment of subsistence allowance to construction workers when construction activities have been temporarily halted under the GRAP regulations. Earlier in November, after Diwali, the top court had remarked that the ban on firecrackers was hardly implemented in the national capital and pulled up the Delhi government for not implementing the firecrackers ban. It had called for an affidavit from the Delhi government and Police Commissioner detailing the steps taken to enforce the same.

The apex court had suggested that the premises of sellers of firecrackers should be sealed, apart from enforcing a ban on importing firecrackers from neighbouring states. The Delhi government, in September this year, issued a notification imposing a ban on firecrackers till January 1, 2025, to mitigate air pollution in winter. Delhi's Environment Minister had said that to keep the air clean in the national capital, a notification was issued to mitigate pollution caused by firecrackers by banning their use in the winter months. The notification also banned online sales and delivery of firecrackers in Delhi.

/IANS