NEW DELHI: Three days after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) lifted the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) III restrictions with the air quality showing improvement, the Sub Committee on GRAP activated all measures outlined in Stage-III (‘severe’ air quality) again with effect from Thursday.
The Central Pollution Control Board data showed that the air quality in Delhi has deteriorated to a poor level, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 299 recorded at 7 am on Thursday.
The commission said that in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions to impose GRAP measures, it was invoking the Stage-3 restrictions as “AQI of Delhi which was recorded as 297 on January 8, exhibited a sharp increasing trend and has been recorded 357 at 4 pm on January 9 due to calm winds and foggy conditions”.
The Central Pollution Control Board classifies AQI between 0 and 50 as “good”, between 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, between 101 and 200 as “moderate”, between 201 and 300 as “poor”, between 301 and 400 as “very poor”, and over 400 as “severe”.
The panel also noted that the authorities will continue to monitor and review the AQI levels in the entire Delhi and national capital region (NCR).
“Citizens are requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under GRAP Stage-III,” the notice from CAQM read.
The national capital on Thursday woke up to shallow fog, with residents shivering due to the persistent cold wave conditions in the city. The minimum temperature was recorded at five degrees Celsius, while the maximum is likely to settle at 21 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast said.
Meanwhile, the Safdarjung weather station recorded the minimum temperature at 4.8 degrees Celsius at 8.30 am, which was 2.1 notches below normal.