Context: Recently, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced that measures under ‘Stage-1’ of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will be immediately enforced in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Key highlights

• This year, measures are pre-emptive and will kick in based on forecasts in an attempt to prevent the AQI from deteriorating further.

• In the older version of GRAP, measures kicked in after pollution concentrations reached a certain level.

• This year, GRAP is being enforced based on the AQI, which takes other pollutants also into account, such as ozone, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen.

• The older version of the GRAP was enforced based only on the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10.

Revised measures under GRAP

• For the first time, the plan specifies that State governments in the NCR may impose restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four wheelers under Stage-3.

• Under severe + category, there will be a ban on the movement of Delhi registered, diesel-operated medium and heavy goods vehicles in Delhi, with exceptions for those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.

• Restrictions on some construction activities will also set in earlier in the revised GRAP.

• A ban on construction activities will be imposed under the ‘severe’ category. In the previous plan, the construction ban was implemented only in the ‘severe +’ category.

• Construction activities on linear public projects like highways, roads, flyovers, pipelines and power transmission, will be banned under the ‘severe +’ category this year.

Guidelines for citizens

• Keeping vehicle engines tuned, ensuring PUC certificates are updated and switching off vehicle engines at red lights.

• Under the ‘very poor’ category, use of public transport and replacement of air filters in automobiles.

• Under the ‘severe’ category, recommendation to work from home if possible, and not use coal and wood for heating.

• Under the ‘severe +’ category, people with chronic diseases and children and the elderly to avoid outdoor activities.

Implementation and enforcement of the GRAP

• The CAQM has constituted a sub-committee for the operationalization of the GRAP.

• This body includes officials from the CAQM, member secretaries of pollution control boards of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, the Central Pollution Control Board, a scientist from the IMD and one from the IIT Madras.

• The sub-committee is required to meet frequently to issue orders to invoke the GRAP.

• The orders and directions of the CAQM will prevail in case of any conflict between directions issued by the State governments and the CAQM.

Actions under Stages II, III and IV will be invoked three days in advance of the AQI reaching the projected level:

Stage 1 (AQI ‘Poor’ – 201 to 300)

• Stopping all construction and demolition activities with plot size of 500 square metres or more which have not been registered on dust mitigation monitoring portals

• Mechanised sweeping, water sprinkling on roads

• Enforcing guidelines on use of anti-smog guns at construction sites

• Enforcing ban on open burning of waste and PUC (pollution under control norms) for vehicles

• Discoms to minimise power supply interruptions in NCR

• Encourage offices to start unified commute for employees to reduce traffic

Stage 2 (AQI ‘Very poor’ – 301 to 400)

• Not allowing coal/firewood in tandoors at hotels

• Stopping use of diesel generator sets except for essential and emergency services (hospitals, railways, metro services, airports, water pumping stations, “projects of national importance”)

• Enhance parking fees to discourage private transport

• Augment CNG/ electric bus and metro services by procuring additional fleet and increasing the frequency of service

Stage 3 (AQI ‘Severe’ – 401 to 450)

• Ban on construction and demolition activities except railway, metro, hospitals, sanitation projects etc., linear public projects like highways, roads, flyovers

• Closure of industries that have PNG supply and are not running on approved fuels. In industrial areas that don’t have PNG supply, industries not running on approved fuels will operate only for five days a week

• State governments in NCR may impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four wheelers.

Stage 4 (AQI ‘Severe +’ – more than 450)

• Stop entry of truck traffic into Delhi (except for essentials, CNG and electric trucks)

• Ban on plying of Delhi registered diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles in Delhi, except for essentials

• Ban on plying of 4-wheeler diesel vehicles in Delhi and districts of NCR bordering Delhi, except BS-VI vehicles and vehicles used for essential or emergency services

• State Governments may consider additional emergency measures like closure of schools, plying of vehicles on odd-even basis

• NCR State governments to decide on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work on 50% strength and the rest to work from home

• Ban C&D activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers