Delhi's air quality consistently remained in the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ category in November.

New Delhi: The Grap-III recommendations have been reimposed in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) as the air quality once again dipped to the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ category.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday warned of “highly unfavourable meteorological conditions, including calm winds and very low mixing height.” The AQI in Delhi stood at 367 at 2 pm, a sharp rise from 233 recorded on December 7.

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What Happens Under GRAP Stage III?

• Restrictions in place to curb air pollution levels include:
• Ban on the operation of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel light motor vehicles (LMVs) in Delhi.
• No permits for BS IV or below diesel-run goods carriers registered outside Delhi to enter the city.
• Classes for students up to Class V will be conducted in a hybrid mode.
• Government offices in Delhi and neighbouring states will stagger working hours.
• Halt on dust-generating construction and demolition activities, with exceptions for projects related to highways, roads, flyovers, railways, defence, and hospitals.

A hybrid class mode means students and parents can choose between online and in-person classes depending on the availability of computers, phones, and the internet at home.

The central government is likely to implement differing working hours for its offices in Delhi.

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In an official statement, the CAQM said, “Considering the highly unfavourable meteorological conditions, including calm winds and very low mixing height, which have pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi into the higher end of the ‘very poor” category, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP has decided to impose Stage III of the revised GRAP schedule issued on December 13, 2024, throughout the NCR.”

Since there was some improvement in Delhi’s AQI, the Supreme Court on December 5 allowed the CAQM to relax its anti-pollution measures from GRAP-IV. The air quality consistently remained in the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ category in November, prompting panic among citizens and several health warnings from medical professionals.