NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider on November 10 a plea for taking urgent steps in connection with worsening air pollution in Delhi NCR due to alleged stubble burning in Punjab and other neighbouring areas.
A lawyer mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice U U Lalit, seeking urgent hearing.
He said that air quality in the capital fell in severe category due to increase in stubble burning.
"Parali (stubble) burning is one of the main reasons for the increasing air pollution in Delhi and NCR. Please hear the matter," the lawyer submitted.
The bench said it agrees that the matter requires intervention and fixed the plea for hearing on November 10.
The air quality of the national capital on Thursday morning turned 'severe' as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city stood at 418, according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
However, by the evening, the overall Air Quality Index further deteriorated and surged to 458, as per the SAFAR data.
The PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration stood at 458 and 433, respectively, both under the same 'Severe' category, according to the SAFAR data.
The AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good'; from 51 to 100 'satisfactory'; 101- 200 'moderate'; 201-300 'poor'; 301-400 'very poor'; and 401-500 'severe'.
On Thursday, the Commission on Air Quality Management (CAQM) asked Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to take an immediate call on the closure of schools and colleges and allow half of the employees to work from home as the National Capital Regions air quality deteriorated further, causing health problems among the vulnerable.
The commission has also put a stop on all linear projects like the construction of highways, roads, flyovers, over-bridges, power transmission lines and pipelines, besides prohibiting entry of trucks and other diesel-run commercial vehicles in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities.
It also asked private firms to permit 50% of their staff to work from home, while allowing central and state governments to decide on a hybrid working environment.
The new set of actions has been taken under the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) Stage-4 as Delhis air quality index for the first time dropped below 450 on a scale of 500.
