As the national capital woke up to chilly temperatures and thick blanket of fog on Saturday, air quality across Delhi-NCR plummeted to ‘severe’ quality, leading to the re-implementation of stage IV of the graded response action plan (GRAP).
After Delhi recorded 432 on the AQI scale, the central pollution control board (CPCB) on Saturday placed the strictest pollution curbs, GRAP 4, in place to tackle the soaring AQI levels.
According to data from CPCB’s Sameer app at around 10.30 pm, Noida recorded 396, under the ‘very poor’ category, while Gurugram recorded 405 and Ghaziabad recorded 406, both under the ‘severe’ category.
According to India Meteorological Department‘s Mausam app, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7.6 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature of 21.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
What is allowed and what is not under GRAP 4?
As CPCB implemented GRAP 4 restrictions from Saturday, here is what is allowed and what is not:
- GRAP 4 restrictions deny entry of trucks into Delhi, except for LNG, CNG, electric and BS-VI diesel trucks and those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.
- Light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi are barred from entering the city except electric, CNG and BS-VI diesel vehicles, or those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.
- GRAP 4 allows Delhi and NCR state governments to take decision over discontinuation of physical classes for Classes VI to IX and Class XI, and shifting to online mode.
- Under GRAP 4, Delhi and NCR state governments can decide on allowing public, municipal and private offices to function at 50 per cent strength, with remaining employees working from home. The central government can also decide on permitting ‘work from home’ model for employees.
- State governments can also adapt emergency measures such as closing of colleges and schools, shutting non-emergency commercial activities and permitting vehicles to operate on an odd-even basis based on registration numbers.
Apart from these, all restrictions under GRAP 3 continue to be operational under GRAP 4, which are-
- A ban on construction and demolition (C&D) activities that include linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over-bridges, power transmission lines, pipelines and telecommunication works.
- All private vehicles including BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles (four-wheelers) are restricted across Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Noida.
- All non essential BS-IV medium goods vehicles that run on diesel and lower diesel light commercial vehicles (LCV) registered outside Delhi are barred from entering the city except for those transporting essential goods or providing essential services.
- The ban does not apply on essential public projects including railways, metro construction, airports, defence, sanitation, and healthcare. These are expected to continue with strict dust and waste management guidelines.