The ban on non-essential construction work and demolition work which was imposed in Delhi due to poor air quality has now been lifted in the national capital. The curbs under the stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) plan were rolled back as the air quality improved in Delhi-NCR.
Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 343 at 4 pm, improving from 385 on Tuesday. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.
In an order, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said the air quality in the Delhi-NCR would not slip into the severe category in the coming days. It said, “The forecast by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology does not suggest that the AQI would slip into the “severe” category in the coming days.”
“It is, therefore, felt that it is advisable to relax the stringent restrictions and roll back Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect in the entire national capital region (NCR),” the order read.
On 2 January, in view of the air quality of Delhi continuing to remain in the ‘very poor’ category, the sub-committee for invoking actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), decided that the ongoing actions implemented under Stage III of GRAP shall continue for the present, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed in a release on Monday.
Stage III of GRAP means a ban on all construction activities except those of national importance.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a statement that Delhi’s overall AQI was showing an increasing trend due to low wind speeds and unfavourable weather/meteorological conditions.
(With agency inputs)
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