Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 407 at 4 pm, say officials
RH Desk
December 4
As pollution in the national capital New Delhi turned severe on Sunday, the federal government’s air quality panel has directed authorities in the Delhi-National Capital Region to ban non-essential construction work in the region under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 407 at 4 pm, an official statement said on Sunday evening.
“In view of the significant deterioration in the air quality of Delhi-NCR in the last 24 hours, the Sub-Committee for invoking actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) held an emergency meeting today,” the statement said, adding that “as per the dynamic model and weather/ meteorological forecast, this sudden spike is possibly due to localized factors.”
The sub-committee for the implementation of GRAP held a meeting on Sunday to review the air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and the air quality index of Delhi.
A 9-point action plan as per Stage III of GRAP is applicable with immediate effect from today in the entire NCR in addition to preventive/ restrictive actions of Stage I and Stage II of the GRAP which are already in place, the statement said.
Among the steps announced also include a ban on non-essential construction and demolition activities in the region.
