...Severe AQI makes things worse, curbs under GRAP-III put in place

NEW DELHI: With the Air Quality Index touching 447 in the 'severe' category, the Commission for Air Quality Management on Sunday banned construction and demolition activities, stone crushers and mining-associated activities with immediate effect in the entire NCR.

The commission asked the states to impose strict restrictions on plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs (four-wheelers) in Delhi and in the districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida. Delhi transport department said if any BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers were found plying on road, the user would be prosecuted under Motor Vehicles Act, mandating a fine of Rs 20,000.

"The overall AQI of Delhi has witnessed a spurt due to unfavourable climatic conditions, such as very low wind speed, rise in the moisture levels, low mixing heights and local pollution sources, including large-scale open burning in the last 24 hours. At 10am and 11am on Sunday, the average AQI for Delhi stood at 458 and 457, respectively," said CAQM in a statement. Open burning took place in the city due to Lohri and people also lit bonfires to beat the cold.

This is the third time when GRAP's stage-III has been imposed during this winter season. It was first enforced from November 2 to 28 and again from December 22 to January 1.

CAQM's order banned C&D activities, except railway services or railway stations, metro rail services, including stations, airports and ISBTs, national security or defence-related activities or projects of national importance, hospitals or healthcare facilities, linear public projects, such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission and pipelines, sanitation projects like sewage treatment plants and water supply project etc; and ancillary activities specific to and supplementing the above categories of projects.

The commission said governments in Delhi and NCR might take a decision on discontinuing physical classes in schools for children up to Class V. CAQM said the air quality was expected to remain in the 'severe' category (401-450) for few days, owing to the continuing unfavorable meteorological and climatic conditions.

Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said, "Any burning or combustion of fuel adds to the pollution load. However, unfavourable meteorological conditions and open burning are episodic events. There is an immediate need to take systematic actions to reduce pollution at source.