GRAP-III curbs revoked, construction work to resume
New Delhi, November 28
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday revoked the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in view of the improvement in air quality in the national capital.
The air quality in the national capital witnessed improvement with light rain on Monday and Tuesday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 312 on Tuesday.
The central panel reviewed the current air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions to take a call on the stringent actions under Stage-III of GRAP already in place in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) since November 2.
“While comprehensively analysing the overall air quality parameters of Delhi-NCR, the sub-committee observed that yesterday Delhi’s average AQI clocked 395. It has been progressively improving since late evening of November 27,” it said in a statement.
“Further, the air quality forecasts by India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) also do not indicate the average air quality of Delhi to move to ‘severe’ category in the coming days,” it further read.
“Keeping in view the disruptive nature of restrictions under Stage-III, the committee decided to roll back Stage-III of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect,” it said. With the revocation of the strict restrictions under the third stage, construction activities will resume.
The Stage III restrictions on November 2 had directed a halt on non-essential construction work, stone crushing and mining in Delhi-NCR. The ban also included restrictions on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in the region.
The panel has sent the order to the Delhi Government which will take a final decision on the restrictions on polluting vehicles tomorrow, an official said.
According to the IMD, the maximum temperature saw a decrease of 4°C. It was recorded at 22°C and minimum at 14.2°C – an increase of 4°C. The national capital witnessed 7.6 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours. The IMD has forecast light rain over the region till Thursday.
