Noida bans diesel generators, big tandoors to combat deteriorating air quality; check restrictions

Amid the deteriorating Air Quality in the city, the Noida Authority has imposed 10 restrictions in a high-level meeting chaired by the CEO Ritu Maheshwari.

With each passing day, the Air Quality in Delhi NCR is worsening, the AQI of Noida has turned 'severe' and stood at 469 on November 3. Amid the deteriorating Air Quality in the city, the Noida Authority held a high-level meeting chaired by the CEO Ritu Maheshwari. As per the media reports, the authority has imposed 10 restrictions in the city to combat air pollution. It has also been decided that the hot-mix plants and RACs would be closed in Noida. On October 29, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) held an emergency meeting to curb the deteriorating air quality in Delhi NCR. The CAQM directed the authorities to enact Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes a ban on construction and demolition activities in NCR, except on essential projects, and restrictions on the plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four wheelers.

10 restrictions imposed by the Noida authority to curb the rising air pollution:

1. A ban has been imposed on burning of garbage, cardboard and grass leaves.

2. The usage of diesel engines and generators has been prohibited.

3. Noida authority has restricted the setting up of fire in the open and usage of big tandoors at hotels 

4. Registration of construction work on the Dust App has been made mandatory

5. It is compulsory to cover all the construction sites

6. The district administration has said that there should be no dust in mechanical swimming.

7. It is mandatory to stall anti-smog guns at construction sites. 

8. A smog gun should be installed for a 5000 square meter site, while two smog guns should be put in place for 10,000 square meters and three for 15000 mts. 

9. Mining activities have been completely banned in the entire district

10. 90 sprinkler tankers and 40 anti-smog guns have been installed in Noida.

As the AQI turned "severe", authorities enforced a ban on construction and demolition activities in NCR, except on essential projects (like railways, metros, airports, ISBTs, and national security/defence-related projects of national importance) and non-polluting activities such as plumbing, carpentry, interior decoration and electrical works.

Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers not operating on clean fuels, and mining and associated activities in NCR will also be banned. State governments in Delhi-NCR may also impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers under stage three. GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation.

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).