The Supreme Court on Monday refused to order a complete stop on construction work in Delhi and the National Capital Region, even as the air quality continues to stay in the ‘very poor’ category. The court said that environmental needs must be balanced with development.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of IndiaBR Gavai said it does not want to pass sweeping orders to control pollution levels, explaining that the court is not made up of experts.

The Bench said it was “not inclined to issue bold directions” and added that such decisions are best taken by experts and the government.

The top court asked the Centre to submit a detailed plan by November 19 on how it intends to tackle the air pollution crisis.

The judges said that short-term measures are not enough and stressed that the government must work on long-lasting solutions. The court observed that temporary steps have repeatedly failed to improve the air in Delhi-NCR.

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