Delhi woke up to GRAP Stage III restrictions on Friday, as the city's air quality remained in the severe category for the third consecutive day, prompting strict measures to curb pollution levels.
According to the Sameer app , the Air Quality Index at 9 am was recorded in the severe' category (400 to 500), with a reading of 411. The CAQM imposed GRAP Stage III as the national capital recorded the worst pollution levels in the country, with the air quality remaining in the severe category for two consecutive days.
Prior to entering the severe category, Delhi's air quality had been in the very poor range for 14 consecutive days. It directed the authorities in Delhi-NCR to invoke curbs under stage III of the anti-pollution plan with immediate effect. The GRAP for Delhi-NCR is divided into four stages of air quality Stage 1 for poor Air Quality Index (AQI) ranging between 201 and 300, Stage 2 for very poor AQI of 301-400, Stage 3 for severe AQI of 401-450 and Stage 4 for severe plus AQI more than 450.
Curbs under Stage III include a ban on non-essential construction and demolition, closure of stone crushers and mining activities in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). Under the Stage-IV restrictions of GRAP, all inter-state buses from NCR states except electric vehicles, CNG vehicles and BS-VI diesel buses will be prohibited from entering Delhi, alongside a stringent ban on construction and demolition activities, suspension of mining-related activities, consideration of shifting to online classes for students up to Class V and daily water sprinkling on major roads. -- PTI