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Air quality deteriorated to be in the ‘poor’ category in Delhi on Wednesday. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin, the AQI in Delhi on Wednesday was 211. AQI between 201 and 300 is considered to be ‘poor’. The AQI in other parts of the NCR, like Noida, Greater Noida, Gurgaon and Ghaziabad, was also in the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday, having deteriorated from the ‘moderate’ category on Tuesday.
As a result, measures under ‘stage-1’ of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will be enforced in the NCR with immediate effect, according to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday. Actions under Stages II, III and IV will be invoked three days in advance of the AQI reaching the projected level.
Stage 1 (AQI ‘Poor’ – 201 to 300)
(1) Stopping all construction and demolition activities with plot size of 500 square metres or more which have not been registered on dust mitigation monitoring portals/
(2) Mechanised sweeping, water sprinkling on roads.
(3) Enforcing guidelines on use of anti-smog guns at construction sites.
(4) Enforcing ban on open burning of waste and PUC (pollution under control norms) for vehicles.
(5) DISCOMs to minimise power supply interruptions in NCR.
(6) Encourage offices to start unified commute for employees to reduce traffic.
Stage 2 (AQI ‘Very poor’ – 301 to 400)
(1) Not allowing coal/firewood in tandoors at hotels.
(2) Stopping use of diesel generator sets except for essential and emergency services (hospitals, railways, metro services, airports, water pumping stations, “projects of national importance”).
(3) Enhance parking fees to discourage private transport.
(4) Augment CNG/ electric bus and metro services by procuring additional fleet and increasing the frequency of service.
Stage 3 (AQI ‘Severe’ – 401 to 450)
(1) Ban on construction and demolition activities except railway, metro, hospitals, sanitation projects etc, linear public projects like highways, roads, flyovers.
(2) Closure of industries that have PNG supply and are not running on approved fuels. In industrial areas that don’t have PNG supply, industries not running on approved fuels will operate only for five days a week.
(3) State governments in NCR may impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four wheelers.
Stage 4 (AQI ‘Severe +’ – more than 450)
(1) Stop entry of truck traffic into Delhi (except for essentials, CNG and electric trucks).
(2) Ban on plying of Delhi registered diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles in Delhi, except for essentials.
(3) Ban on plying of 4-wheeler diesel vehicles in Delhi and districts of NCR bordering Delhi, except BS-VI vehicles and vehicles used for essential or
emergency services.
(4) State Governments may consider additional emergency measures like closure of schools, plying of vehicles on odd-even basis.
(5) NCR state governments to decide on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work on 50% strength and the rest to work from home.
(6) Ban C&D activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers.
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