There is a ban on movement of BS IV diesel and BS III petrol cars in Delhi-NCR.
New Delhi:
Delhi's air quality further deteriorated during the day, crossing the 400 mark and falling into the 'Severe+' category, forcing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the Centre's anti-pollution panel, to GRAP 4 -to impose restrictions in the national capital. and the adjacent areas from tonight.
This comes hours after CAQM imposed GRAP 3 during the day when air quality hovered above 300. During the day, the panel said the measures under Phase III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) have been implemented following “very adverse meteorological conditions, including calm winds and very low mixing height”. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index, which includes reached 379 at 4 p.m., exceeded the 400 mark around 10 p.m.
Later in the evening, the panel said, “Considering the sharp increase in Delhi's AQI due to very unfavorable meteorological conditions and absolutely calm wind conditions, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP called for an emergency meeting.”
“The Sub-Committee has decided to impose Phase IV ('Severe+' Air Quality) of the GRAP scheme (issued on 13.12.2024) across the NCR with immediate effect,” she added.
Meanwhile, schools in Noida will start from 9 am tomorrow due to severe cold and air pollution and will operate in a hybrid mode.
What is allowed and what is not
- Stop freight traffic in Delhi. Ban on construction and demolition activities for linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, bridges, electricity transmission, pipelines, telecommunications etc.
- The government can stop physical classes, including classes Vl – lX and class Xl.
- The government must decide whether public, municipal and private offices can operate at 50% capacity and the rest from home.
- State governments may consider additional emergency measures such as closure of colleges/educational institutions and closure of non-urgent commercial activities, which would allow plying of vehicles on odd-even basis of number plates, etc.
- Children, the elderly and people with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or other chronic diseases should avoid outdoor activities and stay indoors.
- Ban on all construction and demolition activities, including public projects such as highways and overpasses
Last month, air quality in Delhi and surrounding areas was consistently in the 'severe' and 'very poor' categories, prompting annual health warnings from medical professionals and triggering a flurry of cases before the Supreme Court seeking directions to the government asked.
In recent weeks, Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustinus George Masih have held several hearings on the annual air quality crisis, addressing issues from farm fires (i.e. farmers burning agricultural waste) to ineffective bans on polluting vehicles. .
In some cases, the court criticized authorities for not following the law; For example, when GRAP-IV was in effect, the court censured officials who continued to allow non-essential construction activities that were not permitted at the time. The court also questioned the Delhi government for failing to stop vehicles carrying non-essential goods from entering the city.
The court also questioned the Delhi government and the CAQM, a central government panel, for not ordering stricter anti-pollution measures after the AQI crossed the 300 mark.