As Delhi’s air quality continues to remain in the ‘very poor’ category, with an average Air Quality Index of 310, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)’s sub-committee has now invoked the 11-point action plan as per Stage-II of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from Tuesday, with the forecast indicating that the air quality is likely to deteriorate in the coming days.
To discourage private vehicles, the authorities can hike parking fees under the stage II GRAP. The CAQM has appealed to people to use public transport and minimise use of personal vehicles and take less congested routes even if slightly longer. It is also advised to regularly replace air filters at recommended intervals in your automobiles, avoid dust generating construction activities during months of October to January and open burning of solid waste and biomass.
Data from CPCB shows that several parts of Delhi are currently grappling with “Unhealthy” levels of pollution. Anand Vihar, for example, registered an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 226, while other monitoring stations including Rohini, Sonia Vihar, Dilshad Garden, Vivek Vihar, Ashok Vihar have reported similarly hazardous levels, categorised as either “Unhealthy” or “Very Unhealthy.”
The AQI also recorded 210 (poor category) in Gurugram, 165 (moderate) in Faridabad, 252 (poor) in Noida, 183 (moderate) in Greater Noida, 257 (poor) in Ghaziabad. The CAQM’s order read, “In an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality, the Sub-Committee decided that all actions as envisaged under Stage II of the GRAP - ‘Very Poor’ Air Quality (DELHI AQI ranging between 3O1-4OO) - be implemented by all the agencies concerned in the NCR, in addition to the Stage-I actions already in force, from 8 am of 22.10.2024 in the National Capital Region (NCR).”
The decision was taken after the sub-committee took stock of the air quality scenario and air quality forecasts for Delhi made by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
In the stage II of the GRAP, there is an 11-action plan meant to be implemented by various agencies including Pollution Control Boards of NCR States and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). These include carrying out mechanical or vacuum sweeping and water sprinkling of the identified roads on a daily basis; Ensuring water sprinkling along with use of dust suppressants (at least every alternate day, during non-peak hours) on roads to arrest road dust especially at hotspots, heavy traffic corridors, vulnerable areas and proper disposal of dust collected in designated sites/landfills; Intensifying inspections for strict enforcement of dust control measures at C&D sites; Focussed and targeted action for abatement of air pollution in all identified hotspots in NCR and intensifying remedial measures for the predominant sector(s) contributing to adverse air quality in each of such hotspots; Ensuring uninterrupted power supply to discourage use of alternate power Generating sets/ equipment (DG sets etc.) and Strict implementation of the schedule for regulated operations of DG sets across all sectors in the NCR including Industrial, Commercial, Residential and offices etc.
The action plan also include synchronisation of traffic movements and adequate deployment of personnel at intersections / traffic congestion points for smooth flow of traffic; alerting and advising people through radio/television about air pollution levels and Do’s and Don’ts for minimising polluting activities; augmenting CNG/ electric bus and metro services by inducting additional fleet and increasing the frequency of service and resident Welfare Associations to necessarily provide electric heaters to security staff to avoid open Bio-Mass and MSW burning during winters.
The Delhi government implements GRAP in phases, which has steps including ban on construction activities, plying of heavy vehicles and closure of educational institutions, depending on the gravity of the situation.
Taking a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Virendra Sachdeva questioned Chief Minister Atishi and Environment Minister Gopal Rai on the deteriorating levels of AQI in the national Capital and asked, “Who will Gopal Rai blame for the pollution at Kartavya Path, which is under the Delhi government’s jurisdiction? The reality is that all of Delhi is reeling under severe air pollution.” “Delhi’s Chief Minister and Environment Minister blame Uttar Pradesh’s buses for rising pollution in Anand Vihar, even though those buses do not enter Delhi. Instead, the poor state of Delhi’s roads is the major contributor to pollution,” Sachdeva added.
All actions under Stage II of GRAP will be implemented across the entire National Capital Region, in addition to the Stage 1 actions already in force. The agencies responsible for the implementation of the measures under GRAP including Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR states and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) have been addressed to ensure successful and strict implementation of actions under Stage-II of GRAP.
