Air quality in Delhi continued to deteriorate on Monday, slipping into the ‘very poor’ category. Residents awoke to another day of smog-obscured skies, burning eyes and hazardous breathing conditions.
This situation raises questions as to why the 3rd Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has not yet been implemented. The action plan is a set of extraordinary measures to deal with severe air pollution.
Last year, the Supreme Court set the AQI threshold at 350 for imposing GRAP Stage 3. However, even as Delhi’s AQI reached 391 at 8:00 am on Monday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the body responsible for the measure, has yet to announce any such measure.
Phase 2 of the GRAP is currently in effect, which was launched on October 19, when the AQI first crossed 300. This was less than a week after the introduction of Phase 1, when the AQI crossed 200. The AQI has breached the 350 mark at least four times since the start of Phase 2.
What does this mean for students?
CAQM said that once GRAP Phase 3 is in place, state governments may consider announcing the closure of educational institutions, including schools, colleges and training centres.
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It also orders schools up to Class 5 in Delhi-NCR to switch to a “hybrid” mode of teaching, which means students and parents can choose between online and face-to-face classes depending on the availability of infrastructure such as computers and internet at home.
Last year, GRAP Stage 3 was imposed on November 13, leading to these restrictions. However, such measures have not yet been announced this year.
When do GRAP phases mean?
GRAP Level 1 is implemented when air quality reaches the “poor” category. Restrictions include a ban on driving on unregistered construction sites, a ban on open fires, sweeping and sprinkling roads.
GRAP Stage 2 focuses on discouraging the use of private vehicles and improving cleaning. Parking fees are also being increased to discourage private transport.
Read also | Delhi breathes ‘very bad’ air as AQI touches 391; CAQM says that GRAP 3 is not needed
In Phase 3 of the GRAP, restrictions will be further tightened by imposing a strict ban on all older four-wheelers in the Delhi-NCR region. Restrictions would also be imposed on medium goods vehicles (MGVs) with diesel engines registered in Delhi and specific light commercial vehicles (LCVs) not registered in Delhi, except vehicles carrying essential goods. In that case, people are also advised to work from home if possible.
Then the last one is GRAP Stage 4, which is the “severe plus” category, in which the entry of trucks into Delhi is completely stopped (except for essential commodities and clean fuel trucks).
Additional restrictions under GRAP Phase 3
— Prohibition of transport of construction materials such as sand and cement, especially on unpaved roads.
— Complete ban on demolition and construction activities unless necessary, including earthworks, piling and excavation.
— Advising private companies to enable telecommuting or hybrid working to reduce vehicle emissions.
— Restrictions on interstate diesel buses entering or operating in Delhi.
— Ban on BS-3 petrol and diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and neighboring NCR districts.
— Cap control of stone crushers, mining and hot mix that do not run on clean fuel.
— Prohibition of diesel gensets except for emergency and essential services.
Key things
- Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached a dangerous level of 391, raising concerns about the implementation of GRAP Phase 3 measures.
- Phase 3 of the GRAP includes a ban on older four-wheelers, medium-duty diesel-powered vehicles and encourages work-from-home arrangements to mitigate pollution.
- If GRAP Phase 3 is implemented, schools through 5th grade can move to hybrid learning models that allow for both online and in-person courses.
