Central panel tightens pollution curbs in Delhi as GRAP 4 measures to be taken under Stage 3
PTC News Desk: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has made pollution-control rules stricter across the NCR by updating the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Saturday. This step was taken because Delhi’s air quality is still in the ‘very poor’ range.
GRAP is an emergency plan for the entire NCR that gets activated based on Delhi’s daily average AQI and weather forecasts. Since Delhi’s pollution levels remain very poor, the CAQM has decided to apply some Stage 4 measures even while the region is officially under Stage 3.
Which Stage 4 measures are being added to Stage 3?
According to CAQM, these Stage 4 rules will now be included under Stage 3:
NCR state governments and the Delhi government (GNCTD) can decide whether public, municipal, and private offices should operate with only 50% staff in the office and allow the rest to work from home.
The central government may also decide whether central government employees should be allowed to work from home.
Delhi’s air quality got a little better on Saturday, but the overall AQI was still very poor at 359. Except for the IHBAS centre in Dilshad Garden, all other 38 monitoring stations showed AQI levels above 300, and 12 of them reported ‘severe’ pollution with readings over 400.
Major polluted areas like Anand Vihar (422), Narela (401), Ashok Vihar (403), Bawana (419), Jahangirpuri (417), Rohini (414), Vivek Vihar (423) and Nehru Nagar (402) recorded extremely bad air quality.
- With inputs from agencies
