Delhi air pollution: As air improves, SC leaves it to govt to relax industry, construction bans

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the central government to consider relaxing curbs imposed on construction, entry of vehicles and industry in the Delhi NCR after the air quality in the region improved.

The government's newly created committee for air quality management will decide on representations made by various aggrieved stake holders within a week, a bench led by CJI N.V. Ramana said.

The bench said that it was up to the government to relax all curbs imposed so far now that the air quality had improved.


As per a graded government response plan, all non-essential vehicles had been banned from entering Delhi, construction activity stopped except in projects of national and public importance such as railways and metros, and various industries running on environmentally polluting fuels were shut.

Only those running on clean fuels could operate. Some could run only for limited hours.

The Delhi government and the central government had also introduced mandatory work from home for non-essential services and carpooling for others. Private establishments were also advised to work from home.

The court had also called upon the Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to prevail upon farmers to not burn stubble for the time being to check the rising pollution levels.