Delhi Air Pollution: GRAP Stage III Curbs To Continue As Air Quality Slips. Check List Of Restrictions

Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index deteriorated from 295 on Thursday to 346 on Friday, primarily due to raging farm fires and favourable conditions for transport of emissions from stubble burning to Delhi-NCR.

Delhi Air Pollution: The national capital continues to grapples with the deteriorating air pollution that has engulfed the city. On Friday, the Air quality Index (AQI) stood at 346 for Delhi, falling under ‘very poor’ category. In view of the toxic air that blankets the city, Centre’s air quality panel on Friday said curbs under stage 3 (severe) of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will continue in Delhi-NCR.

The sub-committee on GRAP has decided that the “ongoing action implemented under Stage III of GRAP shall continue and it should not be withdrawn at this stage” to prevent deterioration of air quality, it said.Their share in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution also increased from 8 per cent on Thursday to 19 per cent on Friday, according to SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index deteriorated from 295 on Thursday to 346 on Friday, primarily due to raging farm fires and favourable conditions for transport of emissions from stubble burning to Delhi-NCR.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

“The Air Quality Index (AQI) has been showing an increasing trend for the last two days in Delhi-NCR. Wind conditions have not been very favourable and accordingly dispersion of air pollutants has not been very effective,” the CAQM said in a statement. The data from the Decision Support System of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology showed “biomass burning” was a major reason behind the increase in air pollution in Delhi-NCR on Friday.

GRAP STAGE III CURBS: WHAT RESTRICTIONS REMAIN?

1. All construction and demolition work, except for essential projects, is banned in Delhi-NCR under the third stage of the GRAP.
2. Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers are also not allowed to operate.
3. Mining activities will also not be allowed in the region.
4. Stage III also bans the operation of batching plants; laying of sewer lines, waterline, drainage work and electric cabling through an open trench system.
5. States may impose restrictions on the plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in the NCR considering the worsening air quality.
6. Industries not running on approved fuels in industrial areas having PNG infrastructure and supply have to be shut down.
7. In industrial areas not having PNG infrastructure and supply, industries not using approved fuels can operate only for five days a week.
8. Authorities are required to sprinkle water and use dust suppressants, before peak traffic hours, on roads, hotspots, and heavy traffic corridors and dispose of the collected dust at designated sites or landfills.
9. Authorities are required to intensify public transport services and introduce differential rates to encourage off-peak travel.