CAQM rolls back Stage-III of GRAP as pollution levels in Delhi improve

Decision was taken after observing declining trend in the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi and also considering the meteorological/ weather forecasts by India Meteorological Department (IMD)

Amid improving pollution levels in Delhi, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday rolled back Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect in the entire National Capital Region (NCR).

The decision was taken after observing a declining trend in the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi and also considering the meteorological/ weather forecasts by India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“IMD do not indicate the overall AQI of Delhi slipping into the ‘Severe’ category in the coming days and is likely to stay in the ‘Very Poor’ category. It is therefore felt that it is advisable to relax the stringent restrictions and roll back Stage III of GRAP with immediate effect in the entire NCR,” CAQM said in a statement. 

AQI of Delhi improved from the level of 399 (nearing ‘Severe’ category) observed on December 30 to 343 (‘Very Poor’ category) recorded on Wednesday.

The preventive/ restrictive GRAP III measures invoked on December 30, 2022, might have also helped the AQI levels not touch the ‘Severe’ category (AQI > 400) and the forecast by IMD also does not predict the AQI levels reaching the ‘Severe’ category in the coming days, CAQM said. 

However, all actions under Stage I to Stage II of GRAP shall remain invoked and be implemented, intensified, monitored, and reviewed by all agencies concerned in the entire NCR to ensure that the AQI levels do not slip further to the ‘Severe’ category. 

“All implementing agencies shall keep strict vigil and especially intensify measures under Stage I & II of GRAP which include the following,” CAQM said.