Stage-II of GRAP was revoked on Monday in the entire NCR with immediate effect. The Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & adjoining areas (CAQM) met on Monday to review the current air quality scenario in the region.
In the meeting, decision was taken on the preventive/ restrictive actions under Stage-II of GRAP already in place in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) since 21.10.2023.
While comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality parameters of Delhi-NCR, the Sub-Committee observed as under:
The average AQI of Delhi has considerably improved in last 4-5 days and remained less than 300 from February 15, 2024 onwards.
Further, on Monday, the AQI was recorded as 231 at 4:00 PM, which is about 70 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-II actions (Delhi AQI 301-400).
The forecast by IMD/ IITM also indicate the average AQI of Delhi to stay in ‘Moderate/Poor’ category with light rain/ drizzle expected in the coming days.
Therefore, keeping in view this trend of improvement in the overall AQI of Delhi and also the forecasts by IMD/ IITM not indicating the average air quality of Delhi moving to ‘Very Poor’ category in the coming days (for which forecast is available), the Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under GRAP unanimously decided to revoke Stage-II of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect.
According to the decisions taken, actions under Stage-I of GRAP will remain invoked and be implemented, monitored and reviewed by all agencies concerned in the entire NCR and agencies shall keep strict vigil and especially intensify measures under Stage-I of GRAP in order to obviate the implementation of Stage-II of GRAP actions owing to AQI level further slipping into ‘Very Poor’ category.
Additionally, based on the decision of the CAQM Sub-Committee for operationalization of GRAP, actions under Stage-II of GRAP were in place in the entire NCR since 21.10.2023.
The Commission has urged all agencies responsible for implementation of various actions listed under Stages–I of GRAP and citizens/ residents to strictly implement and follow the provisions/ charter of GRAP under Stage-I to obviate the need for re-imposition of Stage-II of GRAP in NCR.