CAQM lifts GRAP-IV curbs amid dip in pollution level
New Delhi: The Centre’s air quality monitoring panel for Delhi-NCR has revoked Stage IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) following a marked improvement in pollution levels. The decision announced through an official order on Tuesday comes as the region’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 369 at 4 pm, signalling a dip from “severe” to “very poor” levels.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), favourable weather conditions are expected to further alleviate pollution in the coming days.
Stage IV curbs under GRAP, triggered when AQI breaches 450 (“severe plus”), include a blanket ban on construction activities, non-essential diesel trucks entering Delhi, and mandatory hybrid learning for most students, barring those in classes 10 and 12. While these restrictions have been lifted, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) clarified that measures under Stages I, II, and III will continue to remain in effect.
Under Stage III, hybrid learning is recommended for students up to class 5, with parents given the option of online education wherever available. Restrictions also extend to the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and surrounding NCR districts, with exemptions for persons with disabilities. Non-essential diesel-operated medium goods vehicles of BS-IV or older standards are similarly restricted.
The GRAP framework, introduced to tackle Delhi-NCR’s recurring winter pollution crisis, categorises air quality into four escalating stages: “poor” (Stage I, AQI 201-300), “very poor” (Stage II, AQI 301-400), “severe” (Stage III, AQI 401-450), and “severe plus” (Stage IV, AQI above 450). Experts attribute Delhi’s toxic air to a mix of vehicular emissions, industrial activities, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers, and stagnant atmospheric conditions. Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to high pollution levels is equivalent to smoking around 10 cigarettes daily, significantly raising risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
