Stage-III GRAP Kicks in Amid Hazardous Air Quality in Delhi NCR
Heavy smog in the skyline of Delhi NCR seen from a flight approaching IGI Airports. Image credit The Raisina Hills
Road Curbs on Polluting Vehicles from Tomorrow amid Foul Air
By Raisina Correspondent
New Delhi, November 14: In wake of deteriorating air quality of Delhi-NCR, the Sub-Committee for operationalization of the Graded Response Action Plan on Thursday decided to enforce strict norms from tomorrow morning.
Delhi’s daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 424 as per the AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The AQAir, the Switzerland-based agency, reported, the air quality in several parts of the national capital higher than 500 on Thursday.
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“Further forecasts from IMD/ IITM also indicate the likelihood of the AQI of Delhi to remain in the higher end of ‘Very Poor’ category in the coming days,” said the Ministry of Environment in a media statement.
As part of the Stage-III GRAP plan, the transport departments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana will be asked to prohibit plying of the polluting vehicles. The Bharat stage III vehicles will be out of the bound during the enforcement of the Stage-III GRAP norms.
The sub-committee also issued directions that schools for classes up to V be held in the online format. Mining activities will remain suspended during the Stage-III GRAP.
“The Sub-Committee while comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/IITM during the meeting noted that the AQI of Delhi started improving since late night, which saw an episodic hike in AQI yesterday owing to highly adverse metrological and climate conditions,” said the Ministry of Environment in a media statement.
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The Ministry further stated that “the air quality remained stagnant since morning today and was hovering around 425 mark, due to continued heavy fog and unfavourable meteorological conditions over the Indo-Gangetic Plain including Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, etc”.
The Stage-III GRAP measures across Delhi-NCR will come in force from 8 am on Saturday. “In 2023, Stage-III of GRAP was invoked on November 2, whereas this year Stage-III of GRAP has been required to be invoked at a much later date in the winter season during 2024,” added the Ministry.
But experts have said that the delayed harvesting season in Punjab and Haryana and elsewhere is the reason for two-week gap in the onset of stage III of GRAP measures. Reports said that only 20 per cent of crops have been harvested in Punjab so far while a large number of cases of farm fires are being reported from the state.
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“Unfavourable meteorological conditions, including dense fog condition and North-Westerly winds moving the pollutants to Delhi, are the major causes for sudden spike in AQI,” added the Ministry of Environment in the media statement.
An 11-point action plan as per Stage-III of GRAP is applicable from 8 am, November 15. This 11-point action plan includes steps such as daily water sprinkling along with dust suppressants, before peak traffic hours, on roads and right of ways, including hotspots, heavy traffic corridors and ensure proper disposal of the collected dust in designated sites/ landfills.
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