 "For the first time, drones will be deployed to monitor 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi, identified earlier by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. (Image credit: ANI)")
The Centre’s pollution control panel has imposed GRAP-2 restrictions in Delhi and surrounding areas as the city’s air quality worsened ahead of Diwali.
In its order on Sunday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has been rising steadily and is expected to deteriorate further.
“The AQI of Delhi has shown an increasing trend since morning and has been recorded as 296 at 4:00 PM and 302 at 7:00 PM. The forecast by IMD/IITM also predicts further deterioration of AQI in the coming days,” the CAQM said in a statement.
Under Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), there will be restrictions on the use of coal and firewood, as well as a ban on diesel generator sets in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). Authorities will also conduct daily sweeping and water sprinkling on key roads to control dust and ease traffic congestion.
These measures are in addition to GRAP-1 curbs, which include mandatory water sprinkling at construction sites, bans on non-compliant construction work, and enhanced monitoring of polluting industries.
The decision comes as Delhi recorded “poor” air quality for the sixth straight day. The AQI stood at 296 on Sunday evening, close to the “very poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Noida and Ghaziabad recorded “very poor” air quality, while Faridabad was in the “moderate” range.
Experts have warned that the AQI could worsen after Diwali due to the bursting of firecrackers and weather conditions that prevent pollutants from dispersing.
(AQI between 0-50 is ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.)