GRAP 3 invoked in Delhi as air quality touches ‘severe’ levels, check area-wise AQI levels

As Delhi’s air quality inched closer to the ‘severe’ category on Saturday morning, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). With the Delhi Air Quality Index (AQI) ranging between 401-450, the CAQM said, “Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality and in an effort to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region, the CAQM GRAP Sub-Committee today has taken the call to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage III of the extant GRAP with immediate effect, in the entire NCR. This is in addition to the actions under Stages I and II of the extant GRAP already in force in the NCR,” CAQM said.

GRAP III invoked in Delhi as air quality turns ‘severe’

The CAQM has directed NCR Pollution Control Boards and other agencies to intensify preventive measures to contain further deterioration of air quality, including all actions under Stage III in addition to the existing measures under Stages I and II.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 401 (severe) at 11 am on Saturday. The 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 349 (very poor) at 4 pm a day earlier. The decision to invoke GRAP III also comes when the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi (AQEWS) predicted that air quality is expected to remain in the ‘severe’ category on Sunday and improve to the very poor category on Monday. “The air quality is likely to be in the severe category on Sunday. The air quality is likely to be in the very poor category on Monday. The outlook for the subsequent six days is that the air quality is likely to be in the very poor category,” the AQEWS bulletin said.

Delhi-NCR AQI levels

Delhi’s air quality witnessed a sharp deterioration on Saturday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 393 at around 8 am, placing it in the ‘Very Poor’ category, as per data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several places in the capital were classified as ‘severe’. According to CPCB data, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 436 and was enveloped in a thick blanket of toxic smog. Other locations, such as Ashok Vihar (435), ITO (425), DTU (426), and Nehru Nagar (427), showed a severe decline in air quality, recording a ‘severe’ category. However, air quality varied across the city, with several areas recording an AQI in the ‘Very Poor’ category. According to the CPCB, Najafgarh recorded an AQI of 312, while Shadipur registered 375. Okhla Phase 2 and Dwarka Sector 8 recorded AQI of 400 and 394, respectively, indicating slightly better air quality than other areas but still reflecting a decline.

(With inputs from ANI)