Air quality likely to be 'very poor' in Delhi-NCR: Parking fee to increase, coal use banned under GRAP 'Stage II'

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ALSO READ: Delhi’s air quality remains ‘poor’; some areas record AQI above 300. Details here On Saturday, Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 248.

The panel therefore decided to invoke the measures under Stage II of GRAP in the entire NCR in addition to steps already taken under Stage I. "All actions as envisaged under Stage-II be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in NCR with immediate effect, in addition to all Stage-I actions of GRAP already in force," it said in an order.

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). As per details, Stage I mandates the suspension of work at private construction and demolition projects with a plot size equal to or exceeding 500 square meters, which are not registered on the state government's portal for remote monitoring of dust mitigation measures.

Apart from this, 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 I.

Stage II measures involve increasing parking fees to discourage private transport and enhancing CNG or 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