New Delhi: The national capital and the NCR region on Monday night were brought under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage IV restrictions with immediate effect as the air quality index breached the severe range.
Restrictions are now in place on the plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.
There is also a ban on entry of trucks to Delhi if these are carrying non-essentials and are not running on clean fuel.
There is also a ban on construction and demolition work, stone crushing, and mining and associated activities.
After the AQI touched the higher end of the very poor category on Monday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) decided to impose GRAP stage III restrictions to prevent further deterioration in air quality.
However, after the air quality turned severe — an AQI of 401 was recorded at 10pm on Monday — CAQM enforced stage IV (severe-plus) measures with immediate effect. This is the highest pollution-check level that is imposed.
This winter, it is the second time when GRAP IV was enforced.. Stage III and IV restrictions were enforced on Nov 15 and 18, respectively.
These restrictions were revoked on Dec 5 with immediate effect, following Supreme Court’s permission.
However, the Supreme Court had said GRAP Stage-III should be imposed next time when the AQI crosses 350, as against the earlier threshold of 400.
It had similarly asked Stage IV to be imposed when the AQI touches 400, as opposed to the earlier threshold of 450.
Besides, CAQM recently modified GRAP regulations and some measures, which were earlier part of Stage III, were included in stage II.
According to the GRAP order, Delhi govt will impose strict restrictions on the plying of Delhi-registered diesel-operated medium goods vehicles (MGVs) of BS-IV standards and lower, in Delhi.
Besides, vehicles of BS-IV standards and lower that are diesel-operated light commercial vehicles (goods carriers) and are registered outside Delhi are barred from entering Delhi.
However, those vehicles carrying essential commodities or providing essential services are exempted.
The exemption earlier granted to construction and demolition (C&D) activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, power transmission, and pipelines in stage III has been removed in stage IV.
School classes, except those of X and XII, will be allowed to function in hybrid mode. Under stage IV, NCR state govts can decide on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work with 50% strength in office and allow the rest of the employees to work from home.
