New Delhi, Nov. 17 -- The Supreme Court on Monday declined to impose sweeping pollution-control measures such as a year-round construction ban or curbs on vehicular movement in Delhi-NCR, observing that the Capital "cannot be brought to a standstill" in the name of fighting toxic air.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai said the court could not paralyse economic activity or deprive hundreds of thousands of migrant workers of their daily wages, even as air quality is expected to worsen in the coming days.

"We cannot bring everything to a standstill. There cannot be a complete stoppage of all activities," said the CJI, responding to submissions by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan that Delhi had turned into a "gas c...