As the national capital’s air quality index dropped to 450, the ‘severe’ category, diesel-powered commercial cars and trucks have been outlawed. In Delhi, all cars transporting necessities as well as CNG and electric trucks, would be permitted to operate. Additionally, medium and large trucks won’t be permitted within the capital unless they’re carrying necessities. In the capital and the surrounding districts, BS-4 diesel cars are also not allowed.
Industries that use dirty fuel will not be permitted to operate ‘even in places without PNG infrastructure and supply’. The production of milk, dairy products, pharmaceuticals, and medical supplies is now excluded from this rule. Major projects, such as roads, flyovers, overbridges, pipelines, and electricity transmission, are no longer being built. The Centre has been requested to make a decision about enabling 50% of workers at government and commercial workplaces to work from home. The Delhi government has been requested to make a decision about the odd-even operation of schools, colleges, educational institutions, and vehicles.
As the air quality in the national capital region continues to deteriorate, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) subcommittee of the Centre convened an emergency meeting to enact these steps under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). According to the dynamic model and projection, Delhi’s overall air quality is expected to fall into the ‘severe+’ and ‘severe’ categories during the next several days. In order to stop the air quality from getting worse, the GRAP subcommittee has resolved to adopt Stage IV of GRAP over the whole region.
The CAQM has asked residents to collaborate and abide with the GRAP’s citizens’ charter. The general recommendation is to avoid outside activities and spend as much time indoors as possible for children, the elderly, and those with chronic respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or other illnesses. On Wednesday, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI was 450. An AQI of 400 or more is considered ‘severe,’ and it can have an adverse effect on both healthy persons and people who already have health problems. The GRAP is a series of anti-air pollution measures adopted in the city and its surroundings depending on the severity of the issue and was first introduced in 2017.
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