Unfavorable meteorological conditions major cause for sudden spike in AQI
By TIOL News Service
NEW DELHI, NOV 18, 2024: YESTERDAY, Delhi's daily average AQI clocked 441 yesterday at 4PM, as per the Daily AQI Bulletin by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which further rose to 457 yesterday at 7PM . In view of this trend in AQI owing to unfavourable meteorological conditions in Delhi-NCR, the Sub-Committee for operationalization of the Graded Response Action Plan of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) called on an emergency meeting yesterday.
The Sub-Committee while comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/ IITM during the meeting observed that at 4PM yesterday, the average AQI for Delhi was recorded as 441 which started to steadily rise further. At 6PM yesterday, the average AQI for Delhi clocked 452, which had escalated to 457 at 7PM due to the continuing unfavorable meteorological and climatic conditions.
Keeping in view the prevailing trend of deteriorating air quality of NCR, and in an effort to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region, the Sub-Committee yesterday has taken the call to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-IV of GRAP – 'Severe+' Air Quality (Delhi's AQI > 450), w.e.f. 08:00 AM of 18.11.2024 (tomorrow) in the entire NCR. This is in addition to the preventive/ restrictive actions mentioned under Stage-I, Stage-II and Stage-III of GRAP already in-force. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP and Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR and DPCC have also been advised to ensure strict implementation of actions under Stage-IV of revised GRAP in addition to all actions under Stage-I, Stage-II Stage-III of GRAP already in force, during this period.
An 8-point action plan as per Stage-IV of GRAP is applicable with immediate effect from 08:00 AM of 18.11.2024 (tomorrow) in the entire NCR. This 8-point action plan includes steps to be implemented/ ensured by different agencies and Pollution Control Boards of NCR and DPCC. These steps are:
1. Stop entry of truck traffic into Delhi (except for trucks carrying essential commodities/ providing essential services.)
All LNG/ CNG / Electric/ BS-VI Diesel trucks shall however be permitted to enter Delhi.
2. Do not permit LCVs registered outside Delhi, other than EVs / CNG / BS-VI diesel, to enter Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities / providing essential services.
3. Enforce strict ban on plying of Delhi - registered BS-IV and below diesel operated Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities / providing essential services.
4. Ban C&D activities, as in the GRAP Stage-III, also for linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, tele-communication etc.
5. NCR State Govts. and GNCTD may take a decision on discontinuing physical classes even for classes VI – IX, class XI and conduct lessons in an online mode.
6. NCR State Governments / GNCTD to take a decision on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work on 50% strength and the rest to work from home.
7. Central Government may take appropriate decision on permitting work from home for employees in central government offices.
8. State Governments may consider additional emergency measures like closure of colleges/ educational institutions and closure of non-emergency commercial activities, permitting running of vehicles on odd-even basis of registration numbers etc.
Further, CAQM appeals to the citizens of NCR to adhere to the Citizen Charter under GRAP and assist in effective implementation of the GRAP measures aimed towards sustaining and improving the Air Quality in the Region, in addition to the Citizen Charter of Stage-I, Stage-II and Stage-III. Citizens are advised to:
Children, elderly and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or other chronic diseases to avoid outdoor activities and stay indoors, as much as possible.
The revised schedule of GRAP is available on the Commission's website and can be accessed via https://caqm.nic.in
