New Delhi: The Center’s air quality panel Friday (October 6) directed authorities in the National Capital Region to enforce a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants, and to take punitive measures against polluting industries and thermal power plants as the air quality in Delhi plunged into the ‘poor’ category. This action comes as part of the central government’s pollution control plan known as the ‘Graded Response Action Plan’ (GRAP) which is implemented in Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution during the winter season.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for proactively implementing GRAP, reported a “sudden decline” in air quality parameters in the region over the last 24 hours, with Delhi’s AQI reaching 212 (in the ‘poor’ category). The commission in a statement said,
It is essential to invoke Stage-I of GRAP immediately throughout the entire NCR to take steps to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region.
GRAP categorizes actions into four 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).
Also Read: Delhi’s Action Plan For Winter Pollution: Focus On Dust, Vehicular, Industrial Emissions
Stage 1 mandates the suspension of work at private construction and demolition projects with a plot size equal to or exceeding 500 sqm that are not registered on the state government’s portal for remote monitoring of dust mitigation measures.
Authorities are also tasked with enforcing a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors at hotels, restaurants, and open eateries, along with taking punitive action against polluting industrial units and thermal power plants within 300 kilometers of Delhi.
Ensuring the proper implementation of guidelines for dust mitigation at construction and demolition project sites and sound environmental management of resulting waste is also part of Stage 1.
Also Read: Delhi Government’s ‘Green War Room’ To Function 24X7 From Tuesday
Stage II measures involve increasing parking fees to discourage private transport and enhancing CNG/electric bus and metro services by introducing additional fleets and increasing service frequency.
Under Stage III, BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers are prohibited from operating in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar.
Stage III also involves a complete halt on construction and demolition work except for essential government projects, mining, and stone crushing. It also includes a ban on the entry of light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi and diesel-guzzling trucks, medium and heavy goods vehicles (except those involved in essential services).
Stage IV includes banning all types of construction and demolition work. State governments are authorized to decide on online classes for school students and work from home arrangements for government and private offices during such situations.
Also Read: Minister Gopal Rai Launches Anti-Dust Campaign In Delhi To Combat Air Pollution
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
