Delhi AQI in ‘Poor’ Category, Likely to Turn ‘Very Poor’ by Oct 23; Stage II of GRAP Invoked

Delhi’s 24-hour common air high quality index stood at 248, which is categorised as ‘poor’, on Saturday and is probably going to worsen and enter the ‘very poor’ (301 and 400) class on October 23 and 24. In view of this, the central authorities invoked measures beneath stage II of the ‘Graded Response Action Plan’, or GRAP, which is applied in Delhi-NCR to fight rising air air pollution ranges in the winter season.

The minimal temperature, in the meantime, settled at 15.8 levels Celsius, three notches beneath the season’s common, whereas the relative humidity was recorded at 83 %, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Despite a prediction of primarily clear skies in the course of the day, the air high quality was ‘poor’ at 219 round 9 am and deteriorated into the night.

An AQI between zero and 50 is taken into account ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. GRAP additionally categorises actions into 4 phases: 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).

Data collected additionally exhibits that this October is proving to be probably the most polluted since 2020, when the nationwide capital’s air high quality was a lot improved owing to the Covid-induced lockdown.

Here is all you want to understand how Delhi will fight air air pollution this season beneath Stage II of GRAP:

1. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory physique chargeable for proactively implementing GRAP, held a gathering to assessment the air high quality scenario in Delhi-NCR. It introduced forecasts by the IMD and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), which recommend Delhi’s general air high quality is probably going to dip and enter the ‘very poor’ class on October 23 and 24, owing to unfavourable meteorological and weather conditions.
2. Due to this, measures beneath Stage II of GRAP might be invoked in Delhi-NCR in addition to steps already taken beneath Stage I. “All actions as envisaged under Stage II be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in NCR with immediate effect, in addition to all Stage I actions of GRAP already in force,” the CAQM mentioned in an order.
3. The Centre’s air high quality panel directed NCR authorities to improve parking charges so that folks don’t use their non-public autos and, as an alternative, commute by public transport for which CNG or electrical bus and metro providers might be enhanced.
4. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices and sought action-taken stories from a number of authorities, together with the Delhi chief secretary, atmosphere ministry and Municipal Corporation of Delhi, in a matter relating to the deteriorating air high quality. Suo motu proceedings had been based mostly on media stories on the deterioration in air high quality and violations of GRAP.
5. The NGT bench listening to the matter mentioned regardless of motion taken, the issue of air air pollution is aggravating in Delhi and the residents are going through well being issues due to it. “We deem it proper to implead the following authorities in the matter — chief secretary, Delhi, member-secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), member-secretary, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Let notice be issued to the aforesaid respondents,” the tribunal mentioned in an order handed on Friday (October 20).
6. Action-taken stories have to be filed about controlling air air pollution from totally different sources in Delhi as per GRAP in order to keep the AQI in an appropriate vary to safeguard public well being. The matter has been listed on November 8 for additional proceedings.
7. Till October 15, Delhi site visitors police has issued greater than 1.5 lakh challans to car house owners driving with out air pollution beneath management certificates (PUCC). A complete of 1,58,762 challans had been issued until October 15, which is 50,662 greater than the quantity of challans issued throughout the identical interval final 12 months.
8. The most quantity of challans had been issued in Daryaganj circle (6,306), adopted by Sarita Vihar (6,254), Rajouri Garden (5,595), Shahdara (5,442) and Tilak Nagar (5,252). Highest quantity of challans had been issued to motorbike riders at 69,190, adopted by scooter riders (49,219), automotive drivers (33,754) and autorickshaw drivers (1,556).

(With PTI inputs)