GRAP-II imposed in Delhi after AQI crosses 300-mark; CAQM flags 'sharp rise' over 3 days
'The forecast by IMD/IITM has also predicted AQI to remain in 'Very Poor' category in coming days,' the Commission for Air Quality Management said in a notice amid GRAP-II implementation in Delhi
Delhi-NCR implemented Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan on Monday after the Air Quality Index reached 327, entering the 'very poor' category. The measures include a ban on coal and firewood, heavy regulations on diesel generators, and increased parking fees to discourage private vehicle use. Authorities have also stepped up mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling as forecasts predict the air quality will remain poor in the coming days.
Delhi-NCR implemented Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan on Monday after the Air Quality Index reached 327, entering the 'very poor' category. The measures include a ban on coal and firewood, heavy regulations on diesel generators, and increased parking fees to discourage private vehicle use. Authorities have also stepped up mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling as forecasts predict the air quality will remain poor in the coming days.
Delhi-NCR implemented Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan on Monday after the Air Quality Index reached 327, entering the 'very poor' category. The measures include a ban on coal and firewood, heavy regulations on diesel generators, and increased parking fees to discourage private vehicle use. Authorities have also stepped up mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling as forecasts predict the air quality will remain poor in the coming days.
Delhi-NCR on Monday saw Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) come into force, after its Air Quality Index (AQI) level rose to 327, which reflects a 'very poor' reading as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Under these restrictions, the use of coal and firewood has been banned, while diesel generator operations will be heavily regulated.
Parking fees will also be increased to discourage private vehicle use, while civic bodies step up mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling with dust suppressants across roads in the national capital.
"The forecast by IMD/IITM has also predicted AQI to remain in 'Very Poor' category in coming days," a notice from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) read.
It also pointed out the sharp rise in AQI levels that had led to the GRAP-II norms coming into force: 117 on October 31, 261 on November 1, and past the 300 on Monday.
This comes a day after Delhi's roads saw heavy traffic, particularly at entry points like the Delhi-Gurugram and Delhi-Noida borders, where traffic police and other enforcement personnel conducted vehicle checks en masse.
These checks were conducted under the GRAP-I norms, which were already enforced in the national capital on October 21.
The GRAP-I norms included restrictions on vehicles registered outside Delhi that conform to BS-IV or older emission standards, a ban on dust-generating outdoor construction activities, doubling of parking charges and a 50 per cent cap on physical attendance in government and private offices.
Actions that are taken against non-compliant vehicles under the special winter pollution curbs include issuing e-challans and impounding vehicles.
Commuters had lashed out at the round-the-clock checks on social media, claiming they were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for hours on end, and questioning whether the GRAP norms would even have an impact on AQI levels.