Anti-pollution curbs under Stage-IV lifted in Delhi-NCR after air quality improves

New Delhi: On Saturday, After Delhi’s air quality improved from ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’, The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) lifted Stage-IV anti-pollution curbs under Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and adjoining areas. The improvement in air quality was due to an increase in the wind speed.

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The commission withdrew the restrictions after reviewing that the Air Quality Index (AQI) did not slip further in the past few days. The air quality stood at 317 at 4 pm, improving from 405 on Friday. Neighbouring Ghaziabad (274), Gurugram (346), Greater Noida (258), Noida (285) and Faridabad (328) also recorded “very poor” to “severe” air quality. today.

Recent findings of a joint project of the Delhi government and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, showed that vehicular emissions contributed to about 45 per cent of the capital’s air pollution on Friday. It is likely to reduce to 38 percent on Saturday. However, restrictions under Phase-I to Phase-III of GRAP will remain in place and be enforced, as the current air quality in the Delhi-NCR region is in the ‘very poor’ category.

Stage-IV restrictions, including a ban on polluting vehicles and construction activities in the city, were imposed on November 5 after the air quality index (AQI) fell to the ‘severe+’ category (AQI >450). Secondary inorganic aerosols – particles such as sulphate and nitrate that form in the atmosphere due to the interaction of gases and particle pollutants from sources such as power plants, refineries and vehicles – are the second major contributor to Delhi’s dirty air, accounting for 19% of the total. Air pollution in the city has increased by 36 percent in the last few days.

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