Delhi Pollution: As the Air Quality Index (AQI) of national capital, Delhi, fell to 'very poor' last week with several monitoring stations approaching 300 mark, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday ordered to implement Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-II in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas.
In an order issued by the CAQM, the statutory body has directed the authorities to implement the revised schedule of the GRAP Stage-II.
“In an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality, the Sub-Committee has decided that ALL actions as envisaged under Stage II of the GRAP-Very Poor Air Quality (DELHI AQI ranging between 301-400) be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in the NCR, in addition to the Stage-I actions already in force, from 8:00 AM of 22.10.2024 in the National Capital Region (NCR),” CAQM order read.
The CAQM order came after the review meeting of the sub-committee—constituted for invoking actions under the GRAP— of the air quality in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index of Delhi made available by IMD/IITM.
It is important to note that the AQI of Delhi-NCR since morning has been hovering around 300 and at 4:00 P.M. it has been recorded as 310.
Further, the government-run forecaster IMD has also indicate a likelihood of the AQI of Delhi to particularly remain in "Very Poor" category (DELHI AQI-301-400) in the coming days, owing to unfavorable meteorological and climatic conditions and calm winds.