The Commission for Air Quality Management directed New Delhi authorities to enforce stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect.

Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

• In 2014, when a study by the WHO found that Delhi was the most polluted city in the world, panic spread in the Centre and the state government.
• Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016, the plan was formulated after several meetings that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) held with state government and experts.
• The result was a plan that institutionalized measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates.
• GRAP also works as an emergency measure.
• It includes strict measures such as a ban on the entry of heavy vehicles, the odd-even road rationing restrictions, and a halt of construction work – each of which is likely to be impractical at a time when the pandemic has exacted heavy economic costs and public transport has been seen as an infection risk.

How does it work?

• As such, the plan does not include action by various state governments to be taken throughout the year to tackle industrial, vehicular and combustion emissions.
• When the air quality shifts from poor to very poor, the measures listed under both sections have to be followed since the plan is incremental in nature.
• If air quality reaches the severe+ stage, GRAP talks about shutting down schools and implementing the odd-even road-space rationing scheme.

Measures taken under GRAP

1) Severe+ or Emergency

(PM 2.5 over 300 µg/cubic metre or PM10 over 500 µg/cu. m. for 48+ hours)

• Stop entry of trucks into Delhi (except essential commodities)
• Stop construction work
• Introduce odd/even scheme for private vehicles and minimise exemptions
• Task Force to decide any additional steps including shutting of schools

2) Severe

(PM 2.5 over 250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 over 430 µg/cu. m.)

• Close brick kilns, hot mix plants, stone crushers
• Maximise power generation from natural gas to reduce generation from coal
• Encourage public transport, with differential rates
• More frequent mechanized cleaning of road and sprinkling of water

3) Very Poor

(PM2.5 over 121-250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 over 351-430 µg/cu. m.)

• Stop use of diesel generator sets
• Enhance parking fee by 3-4 times
• Increase bus and Metro services
• Apartment owners to discourage burning fires in winter by providing electric heaters during winter
• Advisories to people with respiratory and cardiac conditions to restrict outdoor movement

4) Moderate to poor

(PM2.5 over 61-120 µg/cu. m. or PM10 over 101-350 µg/cu. m.)

• Heavy fines for garbage burning
• Close/enforce pollution control regulations in brick kilns and industries
• Mechanized sweeping on roads with heavy traffic and water sprinkling
• Strictly enforce a ban on firecrackers

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