Less than two days before Diwali, air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region has dropped, triggering the GRAP-III (Graded Response Action Plan) rules.
The Commission for Air Quality Management or CAQM has applied the Stage-III restrictions across the entire NCR with immediate effect as a precautionary measure after Delhi’s average AQI (Air Quality Index) hit 382 today, placing it in the “Very Poor” category.
GRAP, which is implemented in Delhi-NCR, categorises air quality into four stages — ‘poor’ (AQI 201-300), ‘very poor’ (AQI 301-400), ‘severe’ (AQI 401-450) and ‘severe plus’ (AQI above 450).
Under GRAP-III, authorities have imposed a complete ban on non-essential construction and demolition work, including earthwork, piling, trenching and open-air operations of Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants.
BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers are barred from plying in Delhi and neighbouring NCR districts, while inter-state diesel buses are restricted from entering or operating in the capital.
The transport of construction materials such as sand and cement is banned, especially on unpaved roads, and stone crushers, mining operations and hot-mix plants not running on clean fuel have been shut.
Diesel generator sets are prohibited except for emergency and essential services. Private companies have been advised to adopt work-from-home or hybrid modes to curb vehicular emissions, and schools up to Class 5 have been closed, with classes shifted online to protect young children from toxic air.
