In spite of unfavourable weather conditions, including decreased wind speeds and an increase in agricultural fire events, the air pollution in Delhi-NCR keeps getting worse. On Friday morning, the national capital of Delhi was plagued by “severe plus” air quality, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 472. The AQI in the area of ITI Jahangirpuri was 550 at 7 a.m., whereas it was 562 in Noida (Uttar Pradesh), 539 in Gurugram (Haryana), and 563 close to Delhi University.
As raging farm fires and stagnant meteorological conditions drove the capital’s air quality index to the verge of the “severe plus” category, the sky over Delhi-NCR took on an ominous grey hue.
According to the weather prediction and dynamic model, Delhi’s overall air quality is expected to be “severe” or “severe plus” till November 5. As a result, officials have implemented the final phase of anti-pollution measures, including a ban on diesel-powered light motor vehicles.
The state governments may decide whether to close schools, ban non-emergency commercial activity, or regulate vehicle traffic on an odd-even basis, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management, a statutory agency established in 2021 to combat air pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas. According to the CAQM, state and federal governments may elect to allow for work from home. Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) should, in its opinion,implemented with immediate effect to avoid further deterioration of overall air quality in the national capital region.
Gopal Rai, the minister of environment for Delhi, will call a high-level conference today to go over the execution of curbs under the GRAP’s final phase.
The GRAP is a set of air pollution controls that will be put into place in Delhi-NCR depending on how bad the situation is. There are four main levels it uses to categorise the air quality in the Delhi-NCR: stage 1 is “poor” (AQI 201-300), stage 2 is “extremely poor” (AQI 301-400), stage 3 is “severe” (AQI 401-450), and stage 4 is “severe plus” (AQI above 450)
Here is the set of anti-pollution curbs likely to be applicable in Delhi:
Stage IV of GRAP Ban on plying of 4-wheeler diesel LMVs in NCT of Delhi and Districts of NCR bordering Delhi, except for BS-VI vehicles and vehicles used for essential/emergency services, has banned the entry of trucks other than electric and CNG and except those carrying essential commodities in Delhi.
Closing all NCR industries, even those that are still using fuels that aren’t on the permitted fuels list and are located in places without PNG infrastructure or supply.
The manufacturing of life-saving medical equipment, technologies, pharmaceuticals, and medicines will be excluded from the aforementioned restrictions, as will industries like milk and dairy units.
Ban on C&D (construction and demolition) operations for linear public projects including roads, bridges, flyovers, pipelines, electricity lines, etc.
The NCR State Governments/GNCTD will determine whether to permit public, municipal, and commercial offices to operate with 50% of their regular staff present while the other 25% work from home.
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