Air pollution in Delhi has worsened considerably amid the cold wave. The Air Quality Index (AQI) touched "Severe Plus" levels on Sunday, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body that forms strategies to reduce air pollution and implements them. The significant rise in AQI happened due to unfavorable climatic conditions like shallow wind speed, rise in moisture levels, low mixing heights, and local pollution sources. CAQM expects the AQI to largely remain in the Severe category (401-450) for the next few days.
The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the Center's air pollution control strategy, has been put into effect due to the pollution. With "severe" air quality, CAQM has implemented GRAP Stage-III curbs in Delhi-NCR. Certain activities are prohibited in the area under the curbs.
Which vehicles are banned and which are exempted?
The Transport Department of the Delhi Government has ordered a ban on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel (4-wheelers) in Delhi with immediate effect. These cars won't be allowed inside NCR, which includes Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Noida.
The Delhi government has enforced the ban immediately. There are some exceptions made for emergency response vehicles, police vehicles, and government vehicles.
Violations of this ban will result in penalties under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, with a hefty fine of Rs 20,000.
GRAP categorizes actions into four stages based on AQI level
Stage 1: “Poor” (AQI 201-300) Stage 2: “Very Poor” (AQI 301-400) Stage 3: “Severe" (AQI 401-450) Stage 4: "Severe Plus" (AQI > 450)
While Construction work related to national security or defense, projects of national importance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, inter-state bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation, and water supply are exempted from the ban.