Delhi air quality nears 'severe' category, GRAP stage III kicks in
New Delhi: Amid worsening pollution levels in Delhi, the Centre's air quality panel on Saturday directed authorities in the National Capital Region to immediately implement curbs under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The restrictions include a ban on construction and demolition activities except for essential projects concerning national security, defence, railways and metro rail among others.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) also said that the authorities might impose restrictions on the plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in the NCR considering the worsening air quality.
Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 397 at 4 pm, the worst since January. It was 354 on Thursday, 271 on Wednesday, 302 on Tuesday and 312 on Monday (Diwali).
GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation.
It classifies the air quality in the Delhi-NCR under four different stages: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450).
Under stage III, the authorities have been asked to enforce a strict ban on construction and demolition activities in the NCR, except for essential projects (such as railways, Metro, airports, ISBTs, national security/defence-related projects of national importance) and non-polluting activities such as plumbing, carpentry, interior decoration and electrical works. Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers not operating on clean fuels, and mining and associated activities in the NCR have also been banned.
State governments in the Delhi-NCR may also impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers under stage III, the CAQM said.
The ban on construction activities is likely to affect housing projects in Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and other areas.
At an emergency meeting on Saturday evening, the sub-committee of the Commission noted that due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and a sudden spike in incidents of farm fire, "it is considered necessary to implement Stage III of GRAP with immediate effect in the entire NCR".
The ban on construction and demolition activities covers earthwork for excavation, boring and drilling; fabrication and welding operations; loading and unloading of construction material; transfer of raw material, including fly ash, either manually or through conveyor belts and vehicular movement on unpaved roads.
It also bans the operation of batching plants; laying of sewer lines, waterline, drainage work and electric cabling through open trench system; cutting and fixing of tiles, stones and other flooring materials; grinding activities; piling work; water proofing work; road construction and repair works, including paving of sidewalks, pathways and central verges among others.
The NCR authorities have also been asked to close down industries not running on approved fuels in industrial areas having PNG infrastructure and supply.
In industrial areas not having PNG infrastructure and supply, industries not using approved fuels can operate only for five days a week.
"Paper and pulp processing, distilleries and captive thermal power plants to remain inoperative on Saturdays and Sundays. Paddy/rice processing units to remain inoperative on Mondays and Tuesdays. Textile/garments and apparels, including dyeing processes, to remain inoperative on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Other industries not falling in the above noted categories to remain inoperative on Fridays and Saturdays," the CAQM order read.
However, milk and dairy units and those involved in manufacturing of life-saving medical equipment, drugs and medicines have been exempted from the restrictions.
