Supreme Court eases GRAP restrictions in Delhi, monitors air quality
PTC Web Desk: The Supreme Court on Thursday permitted the relaxation of GRAP Stage 4 measures to GRAP Stage 2 in Delhi. The apex court instructed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ensure that stricter measures under Stage 3 or Stage 4 are reinstated immediately on days when the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds 350 or 400. The court affirmed that it will continue to oversee the implementation of GRAP measures.
Additionally, the Supreme Court recommended that CAQM incorporate certain restrictions from GRAP Stage 3 into the Stage 2 curbs until the air quality in Delhi-NCR shows further improvement. The court also directed that GRAP restrictions should not be reduced below Stage 2.
Improvement in Delhi’s air quality
Delhi’s air quality showed significant improvement on Thursday, with the AQI falling into the ‘moderate’ category at 161. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed that of the 38 monitoring stations, only six recorded AQI levels in the 'poor' category.
The AQI classification ranges from: 0–50: ‘Good’; 51–100: ‘Satisfactory’; 101–200: ‘Moderate’; 201–300: ‘Poor’; 301–400: ‘Very Poor’ and 401–500: ‘Severe’
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Delhi’s minimum temperature on Thursday was 8.5 degrees Celsius, 1 degree below the seasonal average. A clear sky is predicted during the day, with the maximum temperature likely to reach around 27 degrees Celsius.
- With inputs from agencies
