In a significant development for Delhi, the Supreme Court has decided to relax Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) measures aimed at controlling severe air pollution. The decision comes after two days of deliberations, during which the court had initially expressed reluctance to ease the emergency measures, emphasizing that there should be a consistent downward trend in the Air Quality Index (AQI) before such a step could be taken. The Supreme Court had previously insisted that the AQI in the national capital needed to show improvement before any relaxation could be considered.

The relaxation of Stage 4 measures will likely have a significant impact on daily activities in Delhi. With the easing of restrictions, the government is expected to make key decisions in the coming hours regarding the lifting of certain bans, including truck entry and temporary construction halts for public projects. These measures, which had been implemented to curb pollution, had caused disruptions in various sectors. Additionally, physical classes in schools and colleges could soon resume, as the air quality improves.

A major reason for the Supreme Court’s decision is the improvement in Delhi's air quality. After a 50-day period of severe pollution, the city experienced a welcome change on Wednesday, with the AQI recorded in the 'moderate' category for the first time in over a month. The 24-hour average AQI at 4 pm on Wednesday was 178, a significant improvement from 268 on the previous day. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that strong surface winds contributed to this improvement, which are expected to continue until December 7, before a new western disturbance brings moderate fog to the city starting December 8.

However, despite this positive shift in air quality, there are still pockets of pollution. Among the 38 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi, the area near Sri Aurobindo Marg recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while several other locations still showed ‘poor’ air quality. The rest of the city, however, was largely in the ‘moderate’ category, which, though a significant improvement, still poses health risks due to pollutants like PM2.5 and PM10.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies AQI levels into several categories. An AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 is ‘moderate’, 201-300 is ‘poor’, 301-400 is ‘very poor’, and anything above 400 is considered ‘severe’. On Wednesday, the main pollutants were PM2.5, with levels at 66.8 µg/m³ and PM10 at 149.5 µg/m³, which are still hazardous, especially for vulnerable populations.

While air quality has improved, there remain concerns about data accuracy from the Decision Support System (DSS), which tracks pollution sources in Delhi. The DSS, which plays a crucial role in the pollution monitoring system, has not been updated since November 29, with missing data for the last five days. According to an official from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the DSS is still undergoing development, and there are issues with its data accuracy and emissions inventory.

The Supreme Court's directive to the chief secretaries of NCR states to appear via video-conferencing and provide information on the subsistence allowance for construction workers who were unable to work due to the restrictions is another critical aspect of this ruling. It underscores the economic impact of the measures taken to curb pollution and the responsibility of the state to ensure the well-being of those affected by the restrictions.

As the government moves forward with its plan to lift restrictions and resume normal activities in Delhi, it remains to be seen how these changes will affect the air quality in the coming days. The air quality situation in Delhi continues to be a matter of significant concern, and the future of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will depend on the city’s ability to maintain its improvement while taking decisive action to address ongoing pollution sources.

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