The Commission for Air Quality management (CAQM) on Monday issued an order to revoke the restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan(GRAP) stage- III with immediate effect, after an improvement was witnessed in the average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city which was recorded at 346.
The CAQM held a review meeting on January 1 with regard to the air quality scenario in the region and observed the forecasts by the India Meteorological Department(IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) for meteorological conditions.
The CAQM observed that Air Quality Index of Delhi has been progressively improving and has been recorded at 346 at 4 p.m. on Monday, which is about 55 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-III actions (Delhi AQI 401-450).
“There is a likelihood of sustaining the improvement in AQI, The forecast by IMD/ IITM also does not indicate any deterioration further and there is a likelihood of the AQI improving while remaining in Very Poor/Poor category in next few days, ” the order read.
“The sub-Committee, accordingly, hereby decides to revoke the order, issued on 22nd December 2023, for actions under Stage- III of the GRAP with immediate effect, ” the order said.
However, the CAQM has asked all the concerned agencies to keep a strict vigil and especially intensify the anti- pollution measures under the GRAP- I&II which will remain to be in force in order to obviate the implementation of stage- III owing to AQI level further slipping into the ‘severe’ category.
With the roll- back of GRAP- III, the activities like construction and demolition and others that were restricted will be able to take place.
This shall also allow the restricted four wheelers under the GRAP-III to be back on roads.