Delhi woke up to hazardous air quality on Wednesday, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) breaching the ‘severe-plus’ category in several areas. By 7 a.m., the overall AQI stood at 442, prompting the reimplementation of Stage IV anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Figures as alarming as these at 21 of the city’s 37 monitoring stations were revealed by the data from the Sameer app, which gives updates of the National Air Quality Index in real time. In the ‘severe-plus’ category, AQI was recorded at 480 Nehru Nagar, 481 Anand Vihar, 471 Alipur, 468 CRRI Mathura Road, 468 Jahangirpuri, and 466 Rohini.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, AQI levels of 450 and above fall in the ‘severe-plus’ category, which means the air conditions are extremely hazardous. To put this into perspective, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good,” and anything above 400 is termed “severe.” Delhi last saw the ‘severe-plus’ category in mid-November.
What Is GRAP Stage IV?
GRAP Stage IV is the most stringent level of anti-pollution measures aimed at mitigating severe air pollution. It bans all construction and demolition work, including any public undertaking like highways or pipelines. Diesel trucks bringing in non-essential supplies are prohibited from entering the city.
Other measures include:
- 50% of its employees on site in offices belonging to the municipal, public, and private sectors; the others are supposed to work from home.
- Even-odd curbs on vehicles can be put in place.
- Closure of colleges, non-essential businesses, and public spaces in extreme cases.
Why Is Delhi’s Air Quality Worsening?
Experts attribute the sudden spike in pollution to a sharp decline in wind speeds, which has trapped pollutants in the atmosphere. During winters, the city experiences a toxic combination of vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, stubble burning, firecrackers, and unfavorable meteorological conditions, exacerbating the air quality crisis.
Doctors say such polluted air in Delhi is a smoke from 10 cigarette packs and poses serious dangers to their health, though more sharply for children and the old and those of respiratory complaints.
Previous Steps Under GRAP And Now
There was a level IV notification in November already, though the restrictions made way at the beginning of December. The ‘severe-plus’ conditions came back on the board today, as a result, the restriction has been pulled back on.
Despite the stern measures, the situation goes on to indicate that a long-term solution is in order to curb the recurrence of air pollution in Delhi. The effectiveness of restrictions as a short-term measure is in question, along with the role of the judiciary and government in handling the causes of this environmental disaster.
For now, the Delhiites have to be prepared to face the poisonous air again as authorities deal with the city’s chronic problem of pollution.
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