NEW DELHI The Central government today enforced the stringent Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) as the city’s air quality plunged into the ‘severe’ category.
The decision, implemented by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), follows a sharp deterioration in air quality, with Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) surging from 362 yesterday to 430 today, crossing the 401-450 threshold designated as ‘severe’ air quality.
The invocation of GRAP Stage III introduces several significant curbs across key polluting sectors, adding to measures already in force under Stages I and II.
The new restrictions include:
Construction and Demolition Ban: A complete ban is now in effect on non-essential construction and demolition (C&D) activities across the region.
Industrial Closures: The operation of stone crushers and mining activities has been banned.
Vehicular Restrictions: A ban has been ordered on the use of privately owned BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles (four-wheelers) in Delhi and the NCR districts.
School Closures: Schools have been directed to keep classes up to Class 5 closed, shifting instruction to the online mode to protect young students from hazardous air exposure.
The CAQM sub-committee stated that the swift implementation was necessary to prevent further deterioration of air quality due to unfavorable meteorological conditions that trap pollutants near the surface.
With the AQI at current levels, the air quality is considered hazardous, affecting even healthy individuals and causing serious health impacts on those with existing diseases.