Delhi air pollution: The air quality in Delhi worsened to ‘severe’ on Tuesday, with an air quality index (AQI) of 421. Delhi’s AQI breached the 400 mark on Monday night at 10 pm. The air quality worsened amid extremely calm wind conditions. Meanwhile, the government has imposed the strictest Stage-4 curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
According to SAFAR-India, most stations in Delhi recorded an AQI of over 400, which is in the ‘very poor’ category. According to its readings, Anand Vihar station recorded an AQI of 467, Ashok Vihar of 459, Bawana 467, Burari Crossing 449, Mathura Road 431, Dwarka Sector 8 429, IGI Airport 429, ITO 436, Jahangirpuri 468, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 414, Lodhi Road 367, Mandir Marg 415, Mundka 436, Najafgarh 358, Narela 463, North Campus DU 437, Patparganj 447, Pusa 419, RK Puram 427, Rohini 464, Siri Fort 389, Vivek Vihar 462, and Wazirpur 449 among others.
GRAP restrictions are implemented according to the deteriorating air quality. Stage 1 is implemented when AQI hovers around 201-300 in the poor category, Stage 2 when AQI dips further to ‘very poor’ at around 301-400, Stage 3 when air quality becomes severe at 401-450 AQI, and Stage IV when air quality is the worst at severe plus with an AQI of over 450.
GRAP IV MEASURES IMPLEMENTED
The Centre's air quality panel for Delhi-NCR imposed the Stage 4 curbs under the winter air pollution control plan, including a ban on all construction activities. GRAP Stage 4 curbs for winters also include a ban on the entry of polluting trucks carrying non-essential goods into Delhi. It mandates the shifting of school classes, except those for classes X and XII, to hybrid mode.
The decision to impose Stage 4 curbs came just hours after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented restrictive measures under GRAP Stage 3.
According to the revised GRAP schedule, classes for students in grades VI-IX and XI in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar must operate in hybrid mode (physical and online) under Stage 4. Classes up to grade V are required to shift to hybrid mode under Stage 3.