As the air quality index (AQI) of Delhi has worsened and reached hazardous category and there is no sign of respite in the coming days, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) decided to invoke the highest level of restrictions as part of Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
It entails banning the construction activities and the entry of all trucks , commercial four-wheelers in the entire national capital region with immediate effect .
Only CNG, electric, BS VI vehicles from other States are allowed entry in the NCR areas. The fourth stage of the GRAP allow public, municipal, and private offices to operate at 50 per cent strength, with the rest working from home. The CAQM advised people, especially children, the elderly, and those with health conditions, should minimise outdoor activities and stay indoors. The Delhi Government on Sunday announced primary schools will remain closed till November 10 as pollution levels continue to remain high in the national Capital.
However, schools are also being given the option of shifting to online for Class 6-12. Delhi Education Minister Atishi announced this on X ( formerly Twitter). The Delhi Government has called for an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss and implement stricter curbs as part of the final stage of the air pollution control plan.
This decision comes in addition to all actions already outlined under Stages I, II, and III of the plan. GRAP functions as an emergency response mechanism,triggered by the city’s AQI’s levels.
A toxic haze lingered over Delhi and NCR for the seventh consecutive day as the air quality index (AQI) reached at 482 on Sunday due to a gradual drop in temperatures, calm winds that trap pollution, heavy construction works, dust and a surge in post-harvest paddy straw burning across Punjab and Haryana.
The AQI has touched a new low before Diwali. The highest level of air pollution recorded at 641 in JNU. Wazirpur 602, Jehangirpuri 477; Punjabi Bagh 475; Patparganj 461; Sonia Vihar 455; ITO 450; Vivek Vihar 445; Lodhi Road 418, Major Dhyanchand Stadium 540, and Dilshad Garden 369. Noida sector also saw AQI at 602.
In an emergency meeting on Sunday, the CAQM’s Sub-Committee observed that the average AQI for Delhi was recorded as 415, which was on rising trend since Saturday and on 05. ll.2o23 around 02:00 PM, the AQI was at 461 and at 04:00 PM the average AQI for Delhi stood at454. The AQI is expected to remain in Severe+ category further, owing to the highty unfavorable meteorological and climatic conditions.
“Only CNG, electric, and BS VI-compliant vehicles from other States are allowed to enter Delhi, with exceptions for trucks carrying essential goods/services and all LNG/CNG/electric trucks. Moreover, all medium and heavy goods vehicles not involved in essential services are banned from entering the capital”, as per the latest CAQM order.
The order said: “Do not allow non-Delhi-registered LCVs, except EVs/CNG/BS-VI diesel vehicles, into Delhi, except those carrying essential goods/services. Prohibit diesel-operated Medium Goods Vehicles and Heavy Goods Vehicles registered in Delhi, except those transporting essential goods/services.Halt construction and demolition activities in linear public projects like highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines’.
“Consider conducting lessons for classes VI-IX, class XI online instead of physical classes. Central Government to decide on permitting work from home for employees in Central Government offices. State Governments to explore emergency measures such as closing colleges/educational institutions and implementing odd-even vehicle registration number-based restrictions for non-essential commercial activities,” it said.
In an emergency meeting on Sunday, the CAQM’s Sub-Committee observed that the average AQI for Delhi was recorded as 415, which was on rising trend since Saturday and on 05. ll.2o23 around 02:00 PM, the AQI was at 461 and at 04:00 PM the average AQI for Delhi stood at454. The AQI is expected to remain in Severe+ category further, owing to the highty unfavorable meteorological and climatic conditions.
“Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality, in an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality, the sub-committee decided that ALL actions as envisaged under Stage IV of the GRAP i.e., ‘Severe+’ category (DELHI AQI >450) be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in the NCR, with immediate effect, in addition to the stage I, II and III actions already in force,” it said.
Delhi is top in the list of most polluted city in the world alongwith Kolkata and Mumbai for the second consecutive day, according to data by Swiss Group IQAir. According to the government’s ‘early warning system’, the air pollution will remain at ‘severe’ levels up until Monday. The highest level of AQI was recorded at the Wazirpur monitoring station in Delhi, which stood at 859 in the afternoon.
Experts have warned of further deterioration of air quality in Delhi-NCR over the next two weeks. The latest mapping of fires across the world by US space agency NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) shows the overwhelming majority of fires in North India are concentrated in Punjab, also ruled by Delhi CM’s Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The rest of the states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh only have isolated incidents of fire.
Punjab on Sunday reported 3,230 farm fires, the highest in a day so far this season, while the air quality in large parts of Haryana was recorded in ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories. Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday blamed Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for “planning to increase pollution of Delhi”, saying that the two states have not banned fire crackers till now. Rai also said that Punjab stubble burning is not polluting Delhi. “Because wind is slow and that pollution is not reaching… Haryana and UP stubble burning is polluting Delhi because these states are closer than Punjab,” Rai said.
To curb the rising pollution in the national capital, the Delhi Fire Services has joined hands with the Delhi government to spray water at several hotspots.”A total of 12 fire engines have been pressed into service to curb pollution. These fire tenders have already started sprinkling water at different locations which have been identified as hotspots,” Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Services, said. Garg said he was hopeful that sprinkling water might be able to bring some respite to citizens.
The PM2.5 concentration level in Delhi is currently 96.2 times the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality guidelines value. PM2.5 or Particulate Matter 2.5 are fine, inhalable particles with diameters generally 2.5 micrometres or smaller. Meanwhile, PM10 or Particulate Matter 10 have a diameter of 10 microns or smaller and are found in significant proportions. PM2.5 pollutants are so small that they can enter the bloodstream causing adverse health impacts.
Doctors in the city have warned people, saying air pollution affects not just the lungs, but also other major organs, such as the heart and the brain, across all age groups. Former All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director Dr Randeep Guleria said there have been studies that have linked air pollution to increased risks of brain stroke, dementia and cognitive decline.