The anti-pollution measures invoked under GRAP 3 in Delhi have been revoked following improvement in air quality, news agency PTI reported quoting officials. All actions under Stages 1 and 2 of extant GRAP will continue to remain in force in NCR, it added.
“The AQI of Delhi, which was recorded as 380 on Thursday, has significantly improved and recorded 236 at 4 pm on Friday, exhibiting a trend. Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP decides to revoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-3 of the extant GRAP, with immediate effect, in the entire NCR,” an official said.
“All actions under Stages 1 and 2 of extant GRAP to remain in force in NCR,” the official added.
Air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘very poor’ category, though it showed marginal improvement. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 302 in the morning.
19 monitoring stations were in ‘very poor’ category
According to CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app showed that 19 monitoring stations were in the ‘very poor’ category, 15 in ‘poor’, and one in ‘severe’, with NSIT Dwarka recording the poorest air quality at 423.
On Thursday, the 24-hour average AQI stood at 380. The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast that air quality is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category till January 4, with similar conditions expected over the following six days.
What were the restrictions under Stage 3
- Non-essential construction and demolition activities — including earthwork, trenching, piling — were banned.
- Stone crushers, mining sites and hot-mix plants not operating on clean fuel were shut.
- BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers was prohibited in Delhi and adjoining NCR districts to curb vehicular emissions.
- Transportation of construction materials such as sand and cement was restricted.
- The use of diesel generator sets was banned, except for emergency and essential services including hospitals, airports and metro rail operations.
- Inter-state diesel buses were banned from entering Delhi to minimise vehicular pollution.
- Private offices were advised to adopt work-from-home or hybrid models to reduce commuter traffic. Schools were directed to hold online classes for students up to Class 5 to protect young children from exposure to toxic air.
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