The Supreme Court on Friday observed that Diwali celebrations should be accompanied by greater awareness of pollution , adding that restrictions alone would not address the problem and could instead encourage more violations.
The court also pointed to the large number of vehicles travelling on roads connecting Delhi to neighbouring areas such as Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurugram and Faridabad. The bench noted that poor people bear the greatest burden as they spend much of their time working on the roads. It also pointed out that the festive season is often their only opportunity to earn a livelihood. The top court also raised concerns about closing schools or moving students to online classes in Delhi amid worsening air quality.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana opened the proceedings with a quip from the CJI about Delhi: “I hope you all are enjoying the weather in Delhi”, LiveLaw reported. During the hearing, the bench said that simply introducing more restrictions or issuing additional orders would not offer a lasting solution. It said it would prefer to follow expert advice forming the basis of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) rather than rely on individual studies or personal opinions.
