Today, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 318 as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In view of significant improvement in the average air quality of Delhi, the Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) met today to review the current air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/ IITM and accordingly take an appropriate call on the preventive/ restrictive actions under Stage-III of GRAP already in place in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) since 14.01.2024. While comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality parameters of Delhi-NCR, the Sub-Committee observed as under:

• AQI of Delhi has been progressively improving and has been recorded as 316 at 2:00 P.M. which is about 85 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-III actions (Delhi AQI 401-450) and preventive/ mitigative/ restrictive actions under all Stages up to Stage-III are underway, there is a likelihood of sustaining the improvement in AQI. The forecast by IMD/ IITM also do not indicate any significant deterioration and there is a likelihood of the AQI improving and remaining in ‘Very Poor’/ ‘Poor’ category in next few days.

Therefore, keeping in view the disruptive nature of restrictions under Stage-III of GRAP impacting a large number of stakeholders and public as well as considering the significant improvement in the average AQI of Delhi and also the forecasts by IMD/ IITM not indicating the average air quality of Delhi moving to ‘Severe’ category in the coming days for which forecast is available, the Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under GRAP unanimously decided to revoke Stage-III of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect. Actions under Stage-I to Stage-II of the GRAP shall however remain invoked and be implemented, monitored and reviewed by all agencies concerned in the entire NCR and agencies shall keep strict vigil and especially intensify measures under Stage-I & II of GRAP in order to obviate the implementation of Stage-III of GRAP actions owing to AQI level further slipping into ‘Severe’ category.

Further, C&D project sites and industrial units which have been issued specific closure orders on account of violations/ non-compliances of various statutory directions, rules, guidelines etc. under no circumstances shall resume their operations without any specific order to this effect from the Commission.

CAQM Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under GRAP in its earlier meetings had invoked actions under Stage-I, Stage-II, Stage-III and Stage-IV of revised GRAP on 06.10.2023, 21.10.2023, 02.11.2023 and 05.11.2023 respectively. On periodic review of the air quality of Delhi and forecast provided by IMD/ IITM, the Sub-Committee had revoked actions under Stage-IV and Stage-III of GRAP on 18.11.2023 and 28.11.2023 respectively. Further actions under Stage-III of GRAP were re-invoked on 22.12.2023 (revoked on 01.01.2024) and 14.01.2024 respectively.

The Commission again urges all agencies responsible for implementation of various actions listed under Stages – I & II of GRAP and citizens/ residents to strictly implement and follow respectively, the provisions/ charter of GRAP under Stage-I and Stage-II to obviate the need for re-imposition of Stage-III of GRAP in NCR.

The Sub-Committee shall be keeping a close watch on the air quality scenario and may take appropriate decisions depending on the air quality, as recorded from time to time, and the forecasts made available by IMD/IITM to this effect. The revised schedule of GRAP is available on the Commission’s website and can be accessed via https://caqm.nic.in/ .

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MJPS/NSK