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The Supreme Court agreed to consider easing Graded Response Action Plan-4 (GRAP-4) restrictions on November 25 after the air quality in Delhi improved to the easier-to-breathe GRAP-2 level.
SC Observations
The court discovered that 100 of 113 border entry points to Delhi were left unmanned, allowing polluting vehicles to enter, violating the GRAP-4 ban.
Delhi Police and the government will be held accountable for this failure.
It was noted that 50% of local pollution is caused by vehicles, especially trucks entering Delhi.
The court formed a team of 13 advocates to inspect border entry points and report on compliance.
The court ordered immediate setup of checkpoints with personnel and lists of allowed goods at border points, and requested CCTV footage from major entry points to be handed over to the court.
The Additional Solicitor-General urged the court to lower the air quality restrictions to GRAP-2, as the air quality index has fallen below 400, indicating an improvement.
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