GRAP 2 restrictions imposed in Delhi ahead of Diwali as AQI nears ‘very poor’ category

The measures under GRAP 2 include increased parking fees, increase in frequency of public transport and strict enforcement of dust control measures.

The Centre's panel on Delhi-NCR's air quality on Sunday announced imposing restrictions under GRAP 2 in the national capital a day ahead of Diwali.

Smog Gun sprays water to control pollution levels as Air Quality dropped to poor category near Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi on Sunday. (ANI Photo/ Sumit) (Sumit)

The Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) measure comes as the pollution levels is expected to plummet to 'severe' levels in the coming days with meteorological conditions and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali.

“The AQI of Delhi has shown an increasing trend since morning and has been recorded as 296 at 4:00 PM and 302 at 7:00 PM. The forecast by IMD/IITM also predicts further deterioration of AQI in coming days,” the Commission for Air Quality Management said in a statement.

The Stage II of GRAP is activated when air quality reaches the "Very Poor" category. The AQI on Sunday evening was recorded at 296, nearing 'very poor' levels, the Central Pollution Control Board said in its daily bulletin. Meanwhile, the pollution levels in Noida and Ghaziabad was recorded in the 'very poor' category, while that of Faridabad was at 'moderate' levels.

“The Sub-Committee, accordingly decides to invoke all actions under Stage-II ('Very Poor' Air Quality) of the extant GRAP in the entire NCR, with immediate effect, in addition to the Stage-I actions already in force,” the central agency's statement added.

The restrictions come as the national capital recorded 'poor' Air Quality Index (AQI) for sixth consecutive day on Sunday, even as the air quality level is expected to deteriorate on Diwali.

The AQI in the national capital was 268 on Saturday, and was recorded on 254 and 245 on the two previous days. The quality is expected to deteriorate further given the bursting of green firecrackers, which have been allowed in the capital 'on a test case basis'.

What does GRAP mean?

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) serves as a measure of the CAQM to address the air pollution issues in the capital and its neighbouring NCR region based on the severity of the pollution levels.

The GRAP for Delhi-NCR is divided into four stages: Stage 1 for “poor” AQI, Stage 2 for “very poor” AQI, Stage 3 for “severe” AQI and Stage 4 for “severe plus” AQI.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies an AQI of 0-50 as “good”, 51-100 as “satisfactory”, 101-200 as “moderate”, 201-300 as “poor”, 301-400 as “very poor” and 401-500 as “severe”.

Restrictions under GRAP 2

The Stage-2 of GRAP includes a ban on the use of coal and firewood, including tandoors in hotels, restaurants, and open eateries.

It also includes a ban on the use of diesel generator sets, except for emergency and essential services. The restrictions under GRAP 2 also includes the curbs under Stage-1.

As part of GRAP-2 measures, the citizens are advised to follow these measures to combat pollution:

• Use public transport and minimise personal vehicle use. Choose less congested routes, even if longer.

• Regularly replace air filters in vehicles.

• Avoid dust-generating construction activities between October and January.

• Refrain from burning waste or biomass in the open.

The plan for authorities include sprinkling of water on roads, dust control measures and identifying hotspots. The Commission has called for increased parking fees, an increase in frequency of bus and metro services and strictly implement regulated operations of DG sets across all sectors to conserve power while also ensuring uninterrupted supply of electricity. Some of the measures to be taken by the authorities include:

• Daily mechanical or vacuum sweeping and water sprinkling on roads.

• Water sprinkling, with dust suppressants every alternate day on roads, especially in hotspots and high-traffic areas.

• Intensified inspections to ensure strict dust control measures at construction and demolition sites.

• Uninterrupted power supply to prevent use of backup generators.