Delhi gasps for clean air as air quality remains 'very poor', pollution body says no GRAP-3 curbs for now

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Amid worsening pollution levels in Delhi, scores of people, including parents and environmental activists, staged a protest at the India Gate on Sunday in the national capital. The protesters, many of them mothers accompanied by children, said they had gathered to demand urgent government action to ensure clean air.

Pollution levels at key monitoring stations

In Noida, Sector 62 recorded an AQI of 342, Sector 1 at 325, and Sector 116 at 339. In Greater Noida, Knowledge Park-III and Knowledge Park-V reported AQI levels of 316 and 314, respectively. Meanwhile, Gurugram's Sector 51 registered an AQI of 327, while Faridabad's New Industrial Town and Sector 11 reported comparatively better air quality levels at 230 and 238, respectively.

According to the CPCB classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.

No GRAP-3 curbs for now: CAQM

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has decided not to invoke Stage 3 restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for now, despite Delhi's air quality remaining at the higher end of the "very poor" category.

The CAQM's sub-committee on GRAP met on Sunday evening to review the air quality situation after Delhi's daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) hovered close to the "severe" threshold earlier in the day. According to the panel, Delhi's hourly average AQI was recorded at 391 at 10 am, which later improved to 370 by 4 pm and further to 365 by 5 pm.

Forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) suggested that overall air quality is likely to remain in the "very poor" range in the coming days, without a sharp deterioration.

Considering the slight improvement and forecast trends, the sub-committee decided to continue with the existing Stage 1 and Stage 2 measures across the National Capital Region (NCR) and not implement Stage 3 curbs at this stage. The panel said it is keeping a close watch on the situation and will review the air quality periodically.

GRAP-3 restrictions 

GRAP Stage 3 entails a ban on non-essential construction work. Classes up to grade V are required to shift to hybrid mode under Stage 3. Parents and students have the option to choose online education wherever available.

Under Stage 3, the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars (4-wheelers) is restricted in Delhi and nearby NCR districts. Persons with disabilities are exempt.

During winters, the Delhi-NCR region enforces restrictions under GRAP, which categorises air quality into four 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 above 450).

Unfavourable meteorological conditions, combined with vehicle emissions, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers and other local pollution sources, lead to hazardous air quality levels in Delhi-NCR during winters.

(With PTI inputs)