Delhi air pollution: When can my child go to school again?

"When can my child go to school again? Will they be in school next week?" — this, or a variation thereof, has been on many parents' lips in Delhi NCR as the weekend approaches (at least, those whose children are not sporting a hacking cough or puffing on inhalers).

Others in the national capital region have been moaning about the impact on business — those privileged enough to not be daily wage workers, for whom it is more about whether there is a meal for the children today.

The custodian of the answer, for now, is the Supreme Court — which recently upbraided the Delhi government and directed that restrictions not be relaxed until its say-so.

Now, on Friday, 22 November, the Supreme Court has extended the application of GRAP-IV measures in Delhi for the next three days — and said that it would consider again on 25 November whether or not to ease the anti-pollution restrictions in view of the vaunted drop in AQI levels.

The bench of justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih has also expressed displeasure over the poor implementation of GRAP-4 restrictions even now, especially as it relates to the (ostensibly restricted) entry of trucks carrying non-essential goods into Delhi.

The counsel appearing for the Delhi government informed the bench there were a total of 113 entry points, including 13 for trucks.

The apex court therefore also appointed 13 Supreme Court lawyers as court commissioners to visit the various entry points in Delhi to ascertain whether restrictions on entry of trucks were implemented or not.

"It is very difficult for us to assume that entry of trucks in Delhi has been stopped," the bench said.

The apex court directed the Centre and the Delhi Police to ensure setting up of check posts at all 113 entry points.

The bench was also informed by additional solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati that the pollution level had dropped in the last two days and the AQI level was now under the GRAP-2 stage.

First implemented in 2017, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation.

It classifies the air quality in the Delhi-NCR in four different stage — Stage 1 is 'poor' (AQI 201–300), Stage 2 'very poor' (AQI 301–400), Stage 3 'severe' (AQI 401–450) and Stage 4 'severe plus' (AQI above 450).

On Friday, the overall AQI in Delhi remained in the "very poor" category being recorded at 373, on average. But at least 9 stations out of 38 are still in the 'severe' zone.

Earlier, on November 18, the apex court had directed all Delhi-NCR states to immediately set up teams to strictly enforce anti-pollution GRAP 4 restrictions, making it clear that the curbs would continue till further orders.

During the hearing on Friday, the bench was informed that the enforced GRAP-4 restrictions also had an adverse impact.

"The consequences of GRAP-4 are drastic and it will have adverse effects on several sections of the society," the bench agreed, but ordered that the restrictions must continue for now.

The apex court has taken suo moto cognisance of the air pollution crisis in the Delhi-NCR and the hearing is currently underway.

The top court will now decide on 25 November whether to ease the curbs imposed under GRAP-4.

Meanwhile, with the winter session of Parliament approaching, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has called for concerted action from all MPs across party lines and described the air pollution across as North India — not just the NCR — as a "national emergency".

With PTI inputs