NEW DELHI: Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Wednesday breached the 400 mark, a level requiring authorities to invoke stricter curbs under Stage 3 of the Centre’s air pollution control plan called the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Amid worsening air quality in the national capital, the Centre on Wednesday decided to hold off the implementation of stricter measures to curb pollution in the NCR as forecasts suggested the situation may improve.
“CAQM Sub-Committee for operationalisation of GRAP met today and took stock of the air quality situation, and meteorological forecast and the projected air quality index by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology,” a statement said.
With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) forecasts suggesting an improvement in the air quality, the sub-committee unanimously decided to mitor the situation for longer before invoking Stage 3 of GRAP.
The ongoing preventive/restrictive actions implemented under Stage 1 and Stage 2 of GRAP will continue, it said.
Stage 3 curbs include a ban on non-essential construction work and the plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR. Construction work related to national security, projects of national importance, healthcare, and water supply were exempt from ban.