The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has announced the revocation of Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the entire Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) with immediate effect, as per an official statement.
According to ANI, the decision was made following a meeting of the Sub-Committee for the operationalisation of actions under the GRAP of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM). The meeting reviewed the current air quality scenario and decided to take appropriate actions based on the improved conditions.
The statement highlighted that Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 231, showing a significant improvement over the past 4-5 days. This improvement, with the AQI remaining below the threshold for invoking Stage II actions, led to the unanimous decision to revoke Stage II of GRAP.
ANI further reported that forecasts from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) suggested that Delhi's AQI would remain in the 'Moderate/Poor' category, with the possibility of light rain or drizzle in the coming days.
Acknowledging the importance of continued vigilance, the Sub-Committee emphasized the need to intensify measures under Stage I of GRAP to prevent a deterioration in air quality. The implementation of Stage I actions will be closely monitored to prevent the re-imposition of Stage II of GRAP.
The Commission urged all responsible agencies and residents to strictly adhere to the provisions of GRAP under Stage I to maintain the current improvement in air quality.
ANI's report also highlighted that the Sub-Committee will closely monitor the air quality scenario and may take further decisions based on real-time data and forecasts provided by IMD/IITM.