New Delhi: As the pollution levels rose due to calm winds and the accumulation of pollutants, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday declared stage-III of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the entire National Capital Region as a preventive measure to avoid further deterioration.
Besides restrictions on construction work, the move bans plying of BS-IV diesel and BS-III petrol vehicles in Delhi-NCR. The average air quality index was 354 at 4pm against 343 on Thursday. “The forecasts for weather/meteorological conditions by IMD/IITM also indicate that due to slow wind speed, stable atmosphere, unfavourable weather parameters and meteorological conditions, and lack of dispersal of pollutants, Delhi’s average AQI is likely to breach the 400 mark and enter the severe category in the coming days,” stated CAQM.
The measures under stages I and II of GRAP also stay in force, it added.
Meanwhile, the streak of cold wave ended on Friday after five days, but the city still shivered with the minimum temperature at 4.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal. On Thursday, it was 2.9 degrees Celsius, the lowest for Jan in three years. The maximum temperature was 22.5 degrees Celsius, also three notches below normal, against 19.5 on Thursday.According to India Meteorological Department, the city saw dense fog with minimum visibility at 150 metres at Palam at 7.30am and at Safdarjung at 8am. However, no major disruption was reported in flight operations.IMD expects the maximum and minimum temperatures to be 21-23 and 6-8 degrees Celsius on Saturday. A yellow alert has also been issued, expecting dense fog in isolated areas.According to CAQM, a nine-point action plan under stage-III of GRAP is applicable with immediate effect, which includes restrictions on construction and demolition activities; curbs on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles (four-wheelers) in Delhi and in the districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar, with an exception for persons with disabilities; restrictions on the plying of Delhi-registered diesel-operated medium goods vehicles to BS-IV standards or below in the city, except those vehicles carrying essential commodities; and not permitting BS-IV diesel-operated light commercial vehicles (goods carriers) registered outside Delhi to enter the city.
