The Haze And GRAP Restrictions

Delhi's winter air pollution persists, prompting GRAP measures to address the deteriorating air quality, writes Richa Tyagi.

- Richa Tyagi

The air quality crisis in India, particularly in the northern regions, has been a long-standing concern. Every winter, cities like Delhi and its surrounding areas are engulfed in a thick haze, severely compromising public health and quality of life. Given the severity of Delhi NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). GRAP is a comprehensive action plan designed to address air pollution in the region. Stage III entails a stringent set of measures to reduce the emission of air pollutants and mitigate the impact of air pollution on public health at large. The decision was taken on November 21, 2024, and rolled out with immediate effect for the National Capital Region (NCR) to prevent further deterioration of air quality. Prior to stage III, stage IV had also been implemented on September 17, 2024, indicating the severity of the pollution crisis in Delhi, where the AQI has surged beyond the critical threshold of 450, categorising it as severe +. On November 20, 2024, Delhi recorded an AQI of 419. In response to this improvement, CAQM issued an order on November 20 to lift GRAP IV restrictions and reinstate GRAP III measures across Delhi NCR.