Supreme Court Rejects Blanket Construction Ban, Seeks Long-Term Plan on Delhi-NCR Pollution

Overview

• The Court declined pleas for a year-round halt to construction, citing livelihood risks and the limits of judicially ordering broad shutdowns.
• The Chief Justice asked the Environment Ministry and Delhi’s chief secretary to propose durable “bridge” solutions that reduce pollution each year.
• Punjab and Haryana were earlier directed to file detailed affidavits on anti–stubble burning steps, and CAQM was told to submit a monitoring and enforcement report.
• Submissions recorded AQI readings above 450 at several locations, while the amicus flagged that most Delhi monitoring stations were not fully functional during Diwali.
• Intervenors pressed for harsher curbs and lower GRAP thresholds, as the bench noted calls for stricter penalties, including arrests, to deter crop-residue burning.