New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS) The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday invoked Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the entire National Capital Region, amid an increase in pollution levels in the National Capital Region (NCR). The announcement comes two days ahead of the Diwali festival, after Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 382 on Friday, which falls in the "very poor" category. While GRAP-III is typically invoked when the air quality turns "severe" and the AQI hits 400, the pollution board invoked it early as a precautionary measure.

In a post on X, the CAQM said: "CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP decides to invoke GRAP III in Delhi NCR as a precautionary measure." The curbs under GRAP-III comprise a complete ban on non-essential construction and demolition activities, including earthwork, piling, trenching, and open-air operations of Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants, and prohibition on movement of BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and neighbouring NCR districts.

The decision will lead to banning the transport of construction materials like sand and cement, especially on unpaved roads; closure of stone crushers, mining, and hot-mix plants not running on clean fuel; and a ban on diesel generator sets, except for emergency and essential services. The stage III of GRAP will also restrict inter-state diesel buses entering or operating in Delhi. The restrictions will further include an advisory for private companies to implement work-from-home or hybrid mode to curb vehicular emissions and will require closure of schools up to Class 5, with classes shifted to online mode to protect young children from toxic air.

This comes days after the CAQM invoked GRAP-II in Delhi-NCR after the capital region’s daily average AQI rose to 324, placing it in the ‘Very Poor’ category. According to the daily AQI bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi recorded an average AQI of 324 on November 2. The CAQM Sub-Committee for operationalisation of GRAP reviewed the current air quality scenario and the forecast provided by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

--IANS