delhi air quality: Delhi-NCR air quality worsens; curbs under GRAP Stage 3 will continue

Curbs under stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) are set to continue in Delhi-NCR, the govt’s air quality panel CAQM said on Friday.

In view of a deterioration of air quality, the sub-committee on GRAP has taken the call that the “ongoing action implemented under Stage III of GRAP shall continue and it should not be withdrawn at this stage”.

According to latest data, air pollution in Delhi-NCR has showed an upward trend of late. “The Air Quality Index (AQI) has been showing an increasing trend for the last two days in Delhi-NCR. Wind conditions have not been very favourable and accordingly dispersion of air pollutants has not been very effective,” the penal said.

On Friday (4 pm data), the capital city’s 24-hour average air quality index was at 346 at, representing a marked deterioration from the previous day’s 295.

A ban is already in place on all kinds of construction and demolition work, other than essential projects, in Delhi-NCR under the third stage of the GRAP.

The ban applies to operation of brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers as well.