New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) today revoked Stage IV and Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi with immediate effect in light of the improvement in the average Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi-NCR. Today, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 165 as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The CAQM decision was taken after it got permission from the Supreme Court to revoke Stage-lV but not to go below Stage-ll of GRAP for the present. However, construction and demolition (C&D) project sites and industrial units which have been issued specific closure orders on account of violations or non-compliance with various statutory directions, rules, and guidelines will not be allowed to resume their operations without any specific order to this effect from the Commission.
The restriction on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel Light Motor Vehicles (4 wheelers) in Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar, is also lifted now. The same also applies to BS-III and below diesel-operated LCVs (goods carriers) registered outside Delhi, and Inter-State buses from NCR states.
While GRAP Stages IV and III have been revoked, the Commission requested citizens to strictly adhere to the citizen charter to ensure that the AQI levels do not slip further because of the winter season when weather conditions may not always be favourable.
Now, under GRAP State- II, citizens are urged to assist in the effective implementation of the GRAP measures aimed towards sustaining and improving the Air Quality in the Region by:
- Using public transport and minimising the use of personal vehicles.
- Using technology, taking less congested routes even if slightly longer.
- Regularly replacing air filters at recommended intervals in
automobiles. - Avoiding dust-generating construction activities.
- Avoiding open burning of solid waste and biomass
The CAQM Sub-Committee shall keep a close watch on the air quality scenario and review the situation from time to time for further appropriate decisions depending upon the Air Quality in Delhi and the forecast made by the India Meteorological Department/ Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
– global bihari bureau
