As per the 4 pm bulletin from the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality index (AQI) on Friday reached a reading of 212, categorizing the air quality in the Capital as “poor.” Just 24 hours earlier, the air quality was considerably better, falling into the “moderate” category with an AQI of 177.

With the AQI entering the “poor” category, the initial phase of the government’s Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) is activated.

This means that authorities now have the authority to enforce various measures, including the suspension of unregistered construction sites, imposing stringent penalties on visibly polluting vehicles, and intensifying Pollution Under Control (PUC) inspections, among other actions.

Also Read: Delhi’s air quality on upswing, likely to enter ‘poor’ category soon

The air quality in the city reached the “poor” category on Friday for the first time in 114 days. This hadn’t occurred since June 14 when the AQI was recorded at 213.

Experts have cautioned that the situation is expected to worsen as winter approaches and the burning of paddy in agricultural states like Punjab and Haryana increases. It’s worth noting that this is not an unusual occurrence for Delhi residents.

Each year, starting from October and following the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, the city’s air quality typically deteriorates. This is due to the shift in wind direction towards northwesterly winds, which are cold and dry, along with a drop in temperatures that hampers the dispersion of pollutants.

On Friday, the initial phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) was put into action. This means that relevant authorities now have the authority to close down any construction and demolition (C&D) site larger than 500 square meters that isn’t registered with the government.

Also Read: Delhi’s AQI below 200 as ‘Green War Room’ strategy kicks in

Additionally, various other measures have been implemented, such as stationing traffic police at congested intersections, urging power distribution companies to reduce power interruptions, and conducting regular mechanized cleaning and water spraying on Delhi’s roadways.

According to a sub-committee of the CAQM, the forecasts indicate that the air quality is expected to stay at a “poor” level throughout the weekend.

“The dynamic model and meteorological forecasts by these agencies predict the overall AQI of Delhi will stay in the ‘poor’ category in the next few couple of days and so it is considered necessary to invoke Stage-I of GRAP with immediate effect in the entire NCR…,” CAQM said.

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Updated: 07 Oct 2023, 08:31 AM IST