Delhi pollution: GRAP Stage IV kicks in amid severe air quality

The overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in 'Severe' category from till Sunday

A central panel on Thursday directed implementation of the fourth stage of the Graded Response Action Plan in Delhi-National Capital Region, as the air quality index (AQI) in the national capital remained in the severe bracket and touched 450. 

According to the Air Quality and Weather Bulletin for Delhi NCR on Thursday, the overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain “severe” till Sunday.

Under GRAP stage IV, there will be curbs on vehicles entry of commercial truc­ks into Delhi, diesel commercial vehicles for intra-Delhi movements, and non-BS-VI passenger vans and light motor vehicles in Delhi.

Close down all industries in NCR, even in areas which do not have PNG infrastructure and supply but are still running on fuels, other than the fuels as per the Standard list of approved fuels for NCR.

There will be a ban on construction and demolition activities in linear public projects. NCR State Governments / GNCTD  can also decide on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work on 50 per cent strength and the rest to work from home. The Central Government may take a decision on permitting work from home for central government offices.

State Governments can also consider additional emergency measures like closure of schools/ colleges/ educational institutions, closure of non-emergency commercial activities and plying of vehicles on odd-even basis etc.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday blamed the AAP government in Punjab for a rise in farm fires in the northern state as a consequence of which Delhi and its satellite cities have turned into a gas chamber with its air quality deteriorating to very poor level, choking Delhi.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had ‘officially refused’ to use bio-decomposer to prevent stubble burning in Punjab.

Kejriwal had Wednesday blamed the central government for rising incidents of stubble burning in Punjab ruled by his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying it had “declined” requests to provide cash incentive to farmers for not burning crop residue.

“The Delhi CM had earlier written a letter to the Centre, saying the implementation of Pusa bio-decomposer had been successful in Delhi. But he himself officially refused to use it in Punjab,” the Union minister told the media. .

Stubble-burning cases in the northern states have increased by 8 per cent from the previous year. A total of 29,413 burning events were detected in the six states — Punjab (24146), Haryana (2,377), Uttar Pradesh (842), Delhi (7), Rajasthan (462) and Madhya Pradesh (1,579 ) — from September 15 to November 3.

Residue-burning incidents saw an increase of 17 per cent in Punjab from the previous year.