New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has imposed stage one measures in Delhi-NCR under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as air quality slipped into the ‘poor’ category. In a statement, CAQM said the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi, which was observed at 179 (Moderate category) on Tuesday, has exhibited a sharp rise with AQI of 244 at 2 pm on Wednesday (Poor category). It added that the forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology have predicted the AQI to remain in the ‘poor’ category in the coming days.
Under GRAP-1, restrictions are placed, such as banning the use of coal and firewood as fuel in tandoors in hotels, restaurants, and open eateries and allowing the use of diesel generators only in emergency or essential situations. GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold. The first stage, GRAP-1, kicks in when the AQI is between 201 and 300; the second stage, GRAP-2, is invoked when the AQI is between 301 and 400; GRAP-3 kicks in between 401 and 500; and GRAP-4 is invoked when the AQI is more than 450.
[AIR News]