New Delhi, Nov 28 (Mayank Nigam) In view of significant improvement in air quality of Delhi-NCR, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas revoked Stage-III of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the entire NCR with immediate effect, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said on Tuesday. All actions under Stage-I to Stage-II of GRAP shall however remain invoked and be implemented, intensified, monitored and reviewed by all agencies concerned in the entire NCR to ensure that the AQI levels do not slip further to the ‘Severe’ category in the coming days, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a communique.
The Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under the GRAP of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas met on Tuesday to review the current air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/ IITM. Therefore, keeping in view the disruptive nature of restrictions under Stage-III of GRAP impacting a large number of stakeholders and public as well as considering the significant improvement in the average AQI of Delhi-NCR, the Sub-Committee for operationalization of actions under GRAP unanimously decided to roll back Stage-III of revised GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect, it said. Earlier, Sub-Committee in its review meeting held on November 18, revoked the actions under Stage-IV (‘Severe+’ Air Quality) of GRAP after considering the improvement in the average AQI of Delhi and air quality forecast of subsequent days.