Delhi Pollution: With Air Quality Likely to Deteriorate Further, GRAP Stage IV to be Implemented Across National Capital

In the wake of unfavourable meteorological conditions anticipated to deteriorate the air quality of the National Capital Region in the coming days, the Sub-Committee for invoking actions under the GRAP of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas held a meeting on Thursday to take the call for further intensified actions required to be implemented by all concerned in the Delhi-NCR.

As per the dynamic model and weather/ meteorological forecast, the overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in the 'Severe'/ 'Severe+' category on November 4 and 5.

The Commission, while comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality parameters during the meeting, noted that due to unfavourable meteorological conditions with slower wind speed and rising farm fire incidents, it is considered necessary to implement Stage IV of GRAP — 'Severe+' Air Quality (Delhi AQI 450) with immediate effect as a precautionary step to avoid further deterioration of overall air quality in the NCR.

This is in addition to the restrictive actions mentioned in Stages I, II, and III of GRAP.

Stage IV - 'Severe+' Air Quality to primarily focus on vehicle restrictions, including entry of commercial trucks into Delhi, commercial diesel vehicles for intra-Delhi movements and non-BS VI passenger vans, and LMVs in Delhi. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP and Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR and DPCC have also been advised to ensure strict implementation of actions of Stage IV under GRAP during this period.

Further, the CAQM appealed to the citizens of NCR to cooperate in implementing GRAP and follow the steps mentioned in the Citizen Charter under GRAP.

Apart from that, the 8-point action plan as per Stage IV of GRAP is applicable with immediate effect from today in the entire NCR in addition to steps mentioned in Stages I, II and III. This 8-point action plan includes steps to be implemented/ ensured by different agencies and Pollution Control Boards of NCR and DPCC.

It also includes a ban on plying of 4-wheeler diesel LMVs in the NCT of Delhi and Districts of NCR bordering Delhi, except BS-VI vehicles and vehicles used for essential / emergency services, closing down all industries in NCR, even in areas which do not have PNG infrastructure and supply but still running on fuels, other than the fuels as per the Standard list of approved fuels for NCR.

Industries like milk and dairy units and those involved in manufacturing life-saving medical equipment/ devices, drugs and medicines shall, however, be exempted from the above restrictions.

The action plan also calls for a ban on construction activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, power transmission, pipelines etc.

It said that NCR state governments/ GNCTD would decide on allowing the public, municipal and private offices to work on 50 per cent strength and the rest to work from home, and the Central Government may take a decision on permitting work from home for central government offices.

Moreover, state governments may consider additional emergency measures like the closure of schools/ colleges/ educational institutions, closure of non-emergency commercial activities and plying of vehicles on an odd-even basis etc.

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The above article has been published from a wire source with minimal modifications to the headline and text.