CAQM (“Commission for Air Quality and Management”) has issued an Order dated 28th November, 2023, revoking actions under Stage III (‘Severe’ Air Quality) of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (“GRAP”) and mandating continuation of actions under Stage I and Stage II of the GRAP in the entire NCR in order to obviate the implementation of Stage III of GRAP actions owing to AQI level further slipping into ‘severe’ Category, which will be subject to monitoring and review by concerned implementation agencies.
Background:
CAQM in NCR and adjoining areas, through its Direction dated 2nd November 2023 had issued statutory direction for implementation of the revised schedule of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect as and when orders under GRAP are invoked. Under this direction the sub-committee had decided that ALL actions as envisaged under Stage III of the GRAP -‘Severe’ Air Quality (DELHI AQI ranging between 401-450) be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in the NCR, in addition to the Stage I and Stage II actions already in force. This was keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality, in an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality.
Current Directions:
The sub-Committee in its meeting held on 28th November 2023 further reviewed the air quality scenario in the region as well as the IMD/IITM forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index of Delhi and observed as follows:
- As the present AQI level of Delhi has improved from the levels of 395 recorded on 27.11.2023 at 04:00 PM to AQI level of 312 recorded at 04:00pm on 28th November, 2023 which is about 83 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-III actions (Delhi AQI 401-450) and
- Preventive/ mitigative/ restrictive actions under all Stages up to Stage-lll are underway. There is therefore a likelihood of the AQI level remaining in very poor category in next few days.
- In light of the above, the sub-committee decides to revoke the Stage III of the GRAP and mandates continuation of actions under Stage I and Stage II of the GRAP in the entire NCR in order to obviate the implementation of stage III of GRAP actions owing to AQI level further slipping into ‘severe’ Category, which will be subject to monitoring and review by concerned implementation agencies.
Source: The Commission for Air Quality and Management in National Capital Region
