New Delhi, (Samajweekly) The Centre on Monday revoked the restrictions under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR with immediate effect.
The Union Environment Ministry, however, said that restrictive actions under Stage-I to Stage-II of the GRAP will remain invoked and be implemented, monitored and reviewed by all agencies concerned in the entire NCR.
On Monday, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 346 as per the daily bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
In view of significant improvement in the average air quality of Delhi, the Sub-Committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reviewed the current scenario and took an appropriate call on the preventive and restrictive actions under Stage-III of the GRAP already in place in the entire NCR since December 22, an official said.
The India Meteorological Department said that the AQI of Delhi has been progressively improving and has been recorded as 346 at 4 p.m., which is about 55 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-III actions (Delhi AQI 401-450).
There is a likelihood of sustaining the improvement in AQI. The forecast by IMD and IITM also do not indicate any deterioration further and there is a likelihood of the AQI improving while remaining in ‘Very Poor’, ‘Poor’ category in next few days. Therefore, the ministry said, keeping in view the disruptive nature of restrictions under Stage-III of the GRAP impacting a large number of stakeholders and public as well as considering the significant improvement in the average AQI of Delhi, the sub-committee decided to revoke Stage-III of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect.
The agencies will keep strict vigil and especially intensify measures under Stage-I and II of the GRAP in order to obviate the implementation of Stage-III of GRAP actions owing to AQI level further slipping into ‘Severe’ category, the official added.
Further, C and D- categoy project sites and industrial units which have been issued specific closure orders on account of violations, non-compliances of various statutory directions, rules, guidelines etc. under no circumstances shall resume their operations without any specific order to this effect from the Commission, the official said.
The CAQM urged all agencies responsible for implementation of various actions listed under Stages- I and II of the GRAP and residents to strictly implement and follow the provisions of the GRAP.
