NEW DELHI: With the air quality deteriorating to ‘poor’ category in the national capital on Monday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR.
The steps include water sprinkling, use of anti-smog guns, regular lifting of solid waste, a ban on coal/firewood in tandoors in hotels and open eateries and limited use of diesel generators.
Sources said the AAP government is reportedly planning to procure mist-spraying drones this winter to target the pollution hotspots. In a bid to check air pollution, the drones will have sensors to record air quality data, including measurements of PM2.5 and PM10, and help reduce dust levels.
A sub-committee formed for invoking actions under the GRAP in its meeting held on Monday reviewed the air quality in the region and the forecasts for meteorological conditions and Air Quality Index (AQI) made available by IMD.
“The sub-committee has decided that all actions as envisaged under Stage-I of GRAP poor air quality be implemented from 8 am of October 15,”CAQM officials said.
Bad air flows in
234: is Delhi’s AQI on Monday, which is ‘poor’
201-300: When Stage-I of GRAP kicks in
Over 100: Farm fires reported from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh
What to do
Keep engines of vehicles properly tuned
Maintain proper tyre pressure in vehicles
Keep PUC certs of vehicles up to date
Turn off the engine at red signals