Amid Delhi’s winter air woes, plans to curb pollution stuck in second gear 

Delhi air quality panel enforces Stage 2 of GRAP as AQI likely to turn 'very poor'. Measures include increasing parking fees, enhancing CNG/electric buses & metro services, sprinkling water on roads, using anti-smog guns & proper disposal of construction & demolition waste.

With Delhi’s air quality likely to turn ‘very poor’ over the coming days, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) announced the imposition of Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Saturday. The GRAP is a set of emergency measures taken to reduce air pollution.

As part of GRAP’s Stage 2, authorities in the NCR have been asked to increase parking fees and enhance the services of CNG/electric buses and metro trains to discourage people from using private transport.

Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday was 248, which falls in the ‘poor’ category.

A reading between zero and 50 on the AQI is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

In its Saturday order, the air quality panel said forecasts by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology suggest that the city’s overall air quality is likely to dip to the ‘very poor’ category on October 23 and 24, owing to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions.

The GRAP’s Stage 1, which includes sprinkling water on roads, using anti-smog guns, and ensuring proper disposal of construction and demolition waste, was enforced on October 6.

Meanwhile, sources said that at least four plans announced by the Delhi government since 2022 to curb the rising pollution are yet to take off.