Centre’s air pollution watchdog lifts GRAP stage IV restrictions in Delhi-NCR amid improved AQI

Amid worsening air high quality in Delhi and the Nationwide Capital Area (NCR) space, the Fee for Air High quality Administration (CAQM) on Sunday revived the restrictions underneath the Graded Response Motion Plan (GRAP) stage IV. CAQM, in its newest order, stated that ban on plying of non-BS VI diesel-run gentle motor autos in Delhi-NCR, entry of vehicles into nationwide capital is now revoked.

CAQM order reads: “In wake of the Delhi AQI nearing the ‘Extreme +’ Class (AQI >450), the GRAP Stage-IV actions had been invoked on 03.11.2022 primarily based on the AQI forecasts. The forecasts additionally indicated a major enchancment round fifth – sixth November, 2022, due to this fact, the sub-Committee whereas invoking Stage-IV of the GRAP, determined for a overview of the scenario on sixth November, 2022.”

The CAQM sub-Committee had determined to revoke the order, issued on November 3, 2022, for actions underneath GRAP Stage-IV with rapid impact. It additional added that actions underneath GRAP Phases-I to Stage-III will nonetheless stay in motion and be carried out, monitored and reviewed by all companies involved within the NCR space. That is to make sure that the AQI ranges don’t slip additional to the ‘Extreme’/ ‘Extreme +’ class.

The GRAP is a set of anti-air air pollution measures adopted in Delhi. It classifies the air high quality within the Delhi-NCR underneath 4 levels: Stage I – ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II – ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III – ‘Extreme’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV – ‘Extreme Plus’ (AQI >450).

The GRAP Stage IV’s major focus is on car restrictions, together with entry of economic vehicles into Delhi, diesel business autos for intra-Delhi actions, non-BS VI passenger vans, and LMVs (Mild Motor Autos) in Delhi.

Listed below are the measures prescribed underneath GRAP stage IV, which at the moment are now not in impact:

• Cease entry of truck site visitors into Delhi (aside from vehicles carrying important commodities/ offering important companies and all CNG / electrical vehicles).
• Ban on plying of Delhi registered diesel operated Medium Items Autos (MGV) and Heavy Items Autos (HGV) in Delhi, besides these carrying important commodities/ offering important companies.
• Ban on plying of 4-wheeler diesel LMVs in NCT of Delhi and Districts of NCR bordering Delhi, besides BS-VI autos and autos used for important / emergency companies.
• Shut down all industries in NCR, even in areas that do not have PNG infrastructure and provide however nonetheless operating on fuels, apart from the fuels as per the Commonplace listing of accredited fuels for NCR.
• Ban C&D actions in linear public initiatives akin to highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, energy transmission, pipelines, and so forth.
• NCR State Governments / GNCTD to determine on permitting the general public, municipal and personal places of work to work on 50 per cent energy and the remainder to make money working from home.
• Central Authorities might determine on allowing make money working from home for central authorities places of work.
• State Governments might contemplate extra emergency measures just like the closure of colleges/ schools/ instructional establishments, closure of non-emergency business actions and plying of autos on an odd-even foundation and so forth.