It agreed to examine a suggestion to ban entry of all diesel-run trucks, except those carrying essential goods, into the national capital.

On the AAP government's odd and even number formula, the bench headed by Chief Justice of India T S Thakur said, "Odd-even car plan is just one measure but there has to be multiple solutions; short term-long term plans. Delhi is earning bad name. Plan must be in place to let the world know we're doing something about pollution."

Referring to his meeting with one of the judges from the International Court of Justice recently, Justice Thakur said it was "very embarrassing" when visiting foreign dignitaries speak about the high pollution levels.

The bench termed the rising pollution level in Delhi as "very serious" and advocated for a "multi-pronged" approach to deal with the situation.

The bench agreed to examine the suggestion of senior advocate Harish Salve, amicus curiae, that as an interim measure, the entry of all kinds of diesel-run trucks into Delhi should be banned for six weeks to see as to whether it makes "perceptible" change in the already worsened air quality.

Salve, who is assisting the court in a 1984 PIL filed by environmentalist M C Mehta on the issue, said trucks, except those carrying essential goods into Delhi, can be banned in pursuance of the 2001 order of the apex court.

"We will be happy if you (Centre) can provide a platform to all stakeholders to prevent the problem. Come out with common minimum acceptable programmes...There can't be a single solution to this problem, there has to be multi-pronged approach and suggestions to defuse pollution crisis.,." the bench said and sought views of all stakeholders, including the Centre, Delhi government, MCD and Central Pollution Control Board.

It asked the stakeholders to prepare a common minimum acceptable plan to address the issue of pollution and said that the absence of proper plan now getting reflected.

During the hearing, the bench said trucks, whose final destination is not Delhi, may not be allowed to ply on capital roads even after paying the environment compensation charge.

Meanwhile, the bench, asked SMYR Consortium LLP, which has been levying toll on behalf of MCD from commercial vehicles entering the city, to avail other remedies to challenge the decision of MCD to encash bank guarantees allegedly due to drop in cess collection.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the toll collector, said that due to imposition of court-mandated environment compensation charge on commercial vehicles entering Delhi, the number of such vehicles have gone down by 30 per cent and has led to drop in civic cess collection.

The apex court on October 12 had said that light duty vehicles would pay Rs 700 and three-axle vehicles Rs 1,300 as environment compensation charge from November 1, in addition to the toll tax, for entering Delhi. The court's order, which will remain in force for four months on a trial basis, directed the Delhi Government to issue appropriate notification in this regard. It had made it clear that these charges would be operative for four months from November one till February 29, 2016 on an "experimental basis".