The Graded Response Action Plan, aimed at combating air pollution in Delhi-NCR during the winter season, was implemented on Sunday. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which is responsible for improving air quality in Delhi and its neighboring areas, made significant changes to the plan last year and in July. These changes include strict restrictions on old vehicles and a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in eateries, restaurants, and hotels when the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds 200.
Furthermore, if the AQI goes beyond 400, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers will be immediately banned in Delhi and surrounding areas such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar. The CAQM, established as a statutory body in 2021, amended the plan in 2022 to ensure proactive implementation of measures based on air quality forecasts up to three days in advance.
Previously, these measures, including a ban on construction, entry restrictions for high-emission vehicles, and the use of coal and firewood, were implemented only after pollution levels reached a certain threshold. The revised plan now recommends enforcing Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal orders pertaining to old diesel and petrol vehicles under Stage 1 of the plan. It also calls for an immediate ban on the use of coal and firewood in eateries, restaurants, and hotels once the AQI crosses 200.
Additional measures included in the revised plan involve taking strict action to address air pollution at identified hotspots under Stage 2. Under Stage 3, states will impose restrictions on the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles in Delhi and neighboring areas. In such scenarios, physical classes for students up to Class 5 may also be discontinued. At AQI levels above 450, non-Delhi registered four-wheelers, except electric and CNG vehicles, will not be allowed to enter Delhi, with exceptions made for those transporting essential commodities or providing essential services.
The CAQM reported that Delhi-NCR recorded an average AQI of 167 from January 1 to September 30, the second-best in six years, with only the pandemic-affected year of 2020 having better air quality during this period. The CAQM has also granted a three-month reprieve for the use of diesel generator sets in critical emergency services, alleviating concerns about power disruptions in essential sectors in the NCR.
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