Delhi Implements Stricter Anti-Pollution Measures as Air Quality Deteriorates to Very Poor Levels

Air Pollution in Delhi: The capital registered an AQI of 360 this morning according to official records.

More stringent pollution control measures are set to be implemented soon to address the deteriorating air quality in Delhi and surrounding areas as winter approaches. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has updated its regulations under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat further decline in air quality.

The updated regulations have moved restrictions from the GRAP-IV category to GRAP-III, which is currently active in the national capital due to an AQI exceeding 401.

Under these new guidelines, Delhi and other state governments in the National Capital Region (NCR) must consider allowing public, municipal, and private offices to operate at 50% capacity, with remaining staff working remotely, as stated by the CAQM. The central government might also implement work-from-home arrangements for employees in central government offices.

Similar modifications were applied to additional GRAP stages.

For example, the implementation of staggered office hours in government institutions, previously part of GRAP-III, has been shifted to GRAP-II for AQI levels between 301-400, strengthening early interventions to address declining air quality. Advisory notices and transportation enhancements previously included in GRAP-II will now fall under GRAP-I, which is triggered when AQI reaches 201-300.

"All organizations responsible for implementing GRAP in NCR have been instructed to acknowledge the changes made to the revised GRAP Schedule and implement them immediately throughout the region," announced the CAQM.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI of 0-50 is classified as good, 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 as poor, 301-400 as very poor, and 401-500 as severe.

Yesterday, the Delhi government directed all educational institutions to postpone physical sporting events scheduled for November and December in light of the worsening air quality.

This morning, the capital recorded an AQI of 360, categorized as very poor according to CPCB standards.