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As Delhi’s average air quality index (AQI) breached the 400-mark on Wednesday, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) sounded alarms, prompting the Centre to deliberate on invoking Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb the escalating pollution levels in the national capital.
The AQI scale, ranging from 0 to 500, categorizes the air quality as ‘good’ (0-100), ‘moderate’ (100-200), ‘poor’ (200-300), ‘very poor’ (300-400), and ‘severe’ (400-500 or above). With the air quality plunging to ‘severe’ levels, concerns over the health and well-being of Delhi residents have heightened.
In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Centre decided on Wednesday to exercise caution, opting to monitor the situation for a day or more before implementing stricter measures under Stage 3 of GRAP. The Graded Response Action Plan outlines a series of steps to be taken based on the severity of air pollution, and Stage 3 includes measures such as a ban on non-essential construction work and restrictions on the plying of certain vehicles in Delhi-NCR.
A sub-committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) convened to assess the current air quality scenario and meteorological forecasts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) projections indicated a potential improvement in Delhi’s average AQI, prompting the sub-committee to unanimously decide to observe the situation before escalating to Stage 3 restrictions.
While preventive and restrictive actions under Stages I and II of GRAP will persist, the sub-committee will closely monitor the evolving scenario for a definitive decision. Stage 3 curbs, if implemented, aim to curb activities contributing to pollution, including non-essential construction and certain vehicular movements.
It is noteworthy that GRAP restrictions were lifted on January 18 following improved air quality in the region. However, Delhi’s residents continue to grapple with severe pollution, leading to delays in flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport due to the prevalence of fog.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted moderate fog in the National Capital until January 26, with foggy conditions expected on January 27 and 28. Dense to very dense fog conditions are anticipated in the morning over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh until January 26, according to the IMD.
As Delhi awaits further decisions on pollution control measures, the city remains on high alert, and residents are advised to take necessary precautions to mitigate the impact of deteriorating air quality.
Sources By Agencies
