Delhi: Centre Brings Back Pollution Curbs, Bans Non-Essential Construction Work As Air Quality Worsens

By restoring curbs under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) ordered a ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing, and mining in Delhi-NCR.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 22 December 2023 6:41 pm

Representational Image

Owing to unfavorable?meteorological conditions, the Centre on Friday ordered a ban on non-essential construction work and plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR.

According to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM),?fog and haze with low wind speed are primarily responsible for the sudden spike in?Delhi's daily average air quality index (AQI). It has been reported that Delhi's overall AQI has been steadily rising since this morning. It stood at 397 at 10 am and 409 at 4 pm.

Pollution curbs restored

Re-invoking curbs under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the CAQM ordered a ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing, and mining in Delhi-NCR.

Construction work related to national security or defense, projects of national importance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation, and water supply are exempted from the ban.

Moreover, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.

What is GRAP?

Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a plan adopted by the?Centre to combat?air pollution and is implemented in the Delhi-NCR region during the winter season.?

It categorises actions 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>450).