The Supreme Court on Monday called on the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider resuming physical classes in schools and colleges in Delhi-NCR, citing the challenges faced by students, including the lack of midday meals and infrastructure for online education.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih highlighted that many children lack air purifiers at home, questioning the effectiveness of keeping them indoors when pollution levels remain critical.
While urging reconsideration for students, the court declined to ease the stringent Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4) restrictions, stating it would only do so upon consistent improvement in air quality index (AQI) levels. GRAP-4 restrictions currently include curbs like banning non-essential truck entry into Delhi-NCR.
The bench also addressed the plight of laborers and daily wage workers affected by construction bans under GRAP-4. It directed state governments to utilize labor cess funds to provide subsistence to affected workers.
Introduced in 2017, GRAP is a tiered plan to combat air pollution in the capital and its surrounding regions, with measures intensifying as pollution worsens.
