Air Pollution: Delhi Minister Gopal Rai to hold high-level meeting; odd-even system may be implemented

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will convene an emergency meeting to address the problem at 12 PM today. The average Air Quality Index of Delhi is 453 today

Image Source: ANI

New Delhi: As the air quality in Delhi-NCR exceeds 450-mark and becomes severe, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will convene an emergency meeting to address the problem at 12 PM today (Friday, October 4, 2022). Officers of the Environment Department and other related departments will be present in the high-level meeting today. Amid the worsening Air Quality in the city, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented with Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect on Thursday.

The average Air Quality Index of Delhi is 453 today. Noida’s average AQI is around 562 today. Ghaziabad’s AQI reaches 407 and Delhi’s Dheerpur area records AQI of 512. Most of the areas in Delhi-NCR in under ‘severe’ category.

What is expected in meeting

1. Odd-even rule, which was first implemented in Delhi by CM Arvind Kejriwal in January 2016 to curb pollution and smog, is expected to be rolled out for the fourth time. 
2. Government offices in Delhi may implement flexible work modes for employees under which 50 per cent of government officers shall be allowed to work from home.
3. Private offices may be asked to call fewer people in the offices to save people from the hazardous pollution
4. Online classes in school and colleges is also expected to be approved in the meeting as experts say that children upto 16 years of age are more vulnerable to air pollution in Delhi. 

Online classes in Noida

Noida authorities have implemented schools in Gautam Budh Nagar district to hold online classes mandatorily for students from class 1 to class 8 until November 8, in wake of rising air pollution. According to the notice issued by District Magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, Dharamveer Singh, schools have also been advised to hold online classes for students studying class 9 to class 12 as much as possible.

Stage 4 GRAP implemented 

The CAQM directed the authorities to enact Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on November 3, which includes a ban on entry of truck traffic (except for trucks carrying essential commodities), Medium and heavy goods diesel vehicles and closing down of all industries in Delhi NCR. In the meeting held yesterday, the CAQM sub-committee "comprehensively reviewed the air quality scenario in the region and noted that the air quality parameters are likely in next few days in the region making it to move into the 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450) category. 

The CAQM implemented the third stage of GRAP earlier on Oct 29.

What is GRAP 

Stage 4 - ‘Severe+’ Air Quality aims to primarily focus on vehicle restrictions including entry of commercial trucks into Delhi, diesel commercial vehicles for intra-Delhi movements and non-BS 4 passenger vans, light motor vehicles in Delhi. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP and Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR and DPCC have also been advised to ensure strict implementation of actions of Stage 4 under GRAP during this period.

What’s banned under stage-4 GRAP 

1. Ban on entry of diesel trucks other than essential goods in the capital, CNG and electric trucks will be able to run Medium and big vehicles will not be able to run even inside the capital, only vehicles related to essential goods will be exempted. 

2. Ban on BS-4 diesel vehicles in Delhi NCR.

3. Ban on industries which are not running on clean fuel, exemption for emergency industries like milk, dairy, medicines and medical goods.

4. There is also a ban on the construction of major projects like highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission and pipelines.

5. In government and private offices, 50 percent staff will work from home (depending on the state government).

6. The state government can take decisions like running schools, colleges, educational institutes, vehicles on odd-even.

7. Use of diesel generators is also not allowed except for essential services related to national security, defence-related activities, projects of national importance, telecommunication, data services, medical, railway and metro rail services, airports, inter-state bus terminals, sewage treatment plants, and water pumping stations.

According to GRAP, air quality in Delhi-NCR is classified under four different stages: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450).

(With Agency Inputs)