New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday asked agencies to strictly implement measures under Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as the air quality in Delhi and neighbouring areas slipped to poor levels. GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation.


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Delhi's 24-hour air quality index (AQI) stood at 232 at 4 pm, worsening from 186 at 4 pm on Saturday. It was 286 in Ghaziabad, 229 in Faridabad, 258 in Greater Noida, 231 in Gurugram and 258 in Noida.


An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.


Delhi had recorded its first poor air day in over three months on October 5. A prolonged spell of rain thereafter suppressed farm fires and kept the air clean. On October 10, Delhi breathed the cleanest air (AQI 41) since August 31, 2020.


"The sub-committee constituted for invoking actions under GRAP in its meeting held on October 5 decided to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage I of GRAP - (AQI 201-300). The order is still in force," the Union environment ministry said in a statement.


Under Stage 1 (poor air quality), the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recommends stopping construction and demolition activities at sites having plot size equal to or more than 500 square metre that are not registered on the "web portal" of the respective states for remote monitoring of air pollution levels.


Project proponents are required to ensure proper implementation of guidelines for dust mitigation, management of construction and demolition waste and use of anti-smog guns at construction sites.


Agencies concerned are required to ensure periodic mechanized sweeping of roads and water sprinkling, and impose heavy fines for violation of the curbs on open burning of biomass and municipal solid waste.


The authorities are required to strictly enforce PUC (pollution under check) norms for vehicles and maintain a strict vigil to ensure that there are no burning incidents at landfills and dumpsites.


They also need to ensure that thermal power plants comply with emission norms and only approved fuel is used by industries, and stringent action is taken against violations.