The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has announced a revision in the existing Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat air pollution in the region.The revised GRAP contains targeted actions that need to be taken by the agencies responsible/ implementing agencies when AQI (Air Quality Index) of Delhi goes beyond a certain threshold.Earlier, research was published in the journal Nature titled- “Machine learning-based country-level annual air pollutants exploration using Sentinel-5P and Google Earth Engine”, showing that, during 2018-2021, India witnessed the maximum levels of human-induced Air Pollution.
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)
- GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region.
- It was approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 after the Supreme Court’s order in the matter of M. C. Mehta vs. Union of India (2016) and notified in 2017.
Implementation
- From 2021 onwards, the GRAP is being implemented by the CAQM.
- Till 2020, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) used to order States to implement GRAP measures.
- The EPCA was dissolved and replaced by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in 2020.
- CAQM relies on air quality and meteorological forecasts by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Revision
- Stage I (Poor Air Quality – AQI 201-300): Enforce NGT / Hon’ble SC’s order on over aged diesel / petrol vehicles.
- Stage II (Very Poor- AQI 301-400): Targeted actions to combat air pollution at identified hotspots in the region. Regulated operations of DG (Diesel Generators) have been set across all sectors in the NCR.
- Stage III (‘Severe’- AQI 401-450): Impose strict restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in certain areas and may suspend physical classes in schools for primary grade children up to Class 5.
- Stage IV (Severe Plus- AQI greater than 450): When the AQI exceeds 450, four-wheelers registered outside Delhi, except for electric vehicles, CNG vehicles, and BS-VI diesel vehicles and vehicle carrying essential commodity, will not be allowed to enter the city.