A Supreme Court-appointed pollution monitoring body has directed Delhi and neighbouring States to implement air pollution control measures under “very poor” and “severe” category air quality of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from October 15, 2020.
- The direction also including a ban on the use of diesel generators, except for emergency activities.
- The Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) on October 8, 2020 wrote to Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan on the issue.
What is Graded Response Action Plan?
- In pursuant to the Supreme Court’s order dated December 02, 2016 in the matter of M. C. Mehta vs. Union of India regarding air quality in National Capital Region of Delhi, a Graded Response Action Plan has been prepared for implementation under different Air Quality Index (AQI).
- The categories includes Moderate & Poor, Very Poor, and Severe as per National Air Quality Index.
- A new category of “Severe+ or Emergency” has been added.
- Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change has notified for
- implementation of Graded Response Action Plan through Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority vide S.O. 118 (E) dated January 12, 2017.
Severe+ or Emergency
Ambient PM2.5or PM10concentration values of 300µg/m3 or 500 µg/m3 respectively persist for 48 hours or more. Actionable measures:
- Stop entry of truck traffic into Delhi (except essential commodities)
- Stop construction activities
- Introduce odd and even scheme for private vehicles based on license plate numbers and minimize exemptions.
- Task Force to take decision on any additional steps including shutting of schools.
(The Hindu and CPCB)
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