Bad air: Smog returns to Delhi-NCR; CAQM rolls out 27-point GRAP Stage I action plan

NODIA: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Saturday ordered implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage I in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas as the air quality turned poor across the region.On Tuesday, Ghaziabad's average 24-hour air quality index at 4pm was 261, several notches higher than 204 recorded a day earlier. This was worse than Noida's 251 (up from 198) and Delhi's 211, also in the poor category. Greater Noida saw the best AQI of 194, at the edge of the moderate range, but worse than Monday's 180.Noida's Sector 125 station, which covers the areas off the Noida expressway, recorded the worst AQI of 312 in the very poor category. Analysis of PM2.5 and 10 levels since Monday evening showed that the pollution levels increased around 7pm and remained in the poor and very poor categories, respectively, till midnight, and improved towards the morning. Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) regional officer Ritesh Tiwari conceded that ongoing construction activities and dust from the nearby Pushta road near Amity University are aggravating pollution in the area. "We have formed teams to ensure compliance with environmental norms in these localities," he said.In contrast, Sector 62 station saw a moderate AQI at 196 on the day, with PM2.5 levels peaking around noon. Sector 116 station, which covers the 7x sectors, logged an average AQI of 264 in poor range, with PM2.5 oscillating between very poor and poor ranges from Monday 9pm till Tuesday noon. The Sector 1 station's average AQI was 226, also poor. In Ghaziabad, Sanjay Nagar station recorded an AQI of 267, Vasundhara 258, and Indirapuram 252, all in the poor range. Data from the Loni station was unavailable. In Greater Noida, the Knowledge Park V station, covering Greater Noida West, registered an AQI of 236 (poor), while Knowledge Park III recorded 175, in the moderate range.Pollution control board officials told TOI that the worsening air quality is the result of a combination of factors — the retreating monsoon, lower temperatures, reduced wind speed, and a rise in both local and regional pollution sources. According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), surface winds were blowing from the northwest at 5-10 kmph in the afternoon but dropped below 8 kmph by evening. The institute has forecast that air quality is likely to remain in the "poor" category until Friday.During a spot check on Tuesday, TOI found several rough patches and craters across the city, manual sweeping and uncovered construction and demolition material lined up along several stretches. In Sector 37, layers of dust lined the roads near the Botanical Garden boundary wall, while rough patches and potholes were visible outside the Okhla Bird Sanctuary and near the Sector 37 bus stand. At the GIP Mall junction, uncovered construction material lay scattered where kiosks are being developed along DSC Road. The footpath near Sector 16 metro station was found damaged, and a dug-up stretch in Sector 1 for cabling work showed no signs of water sprinkling to contain dust. Several craters and uneven patches were spotted on the Vishwakarma Road adjoining the 7x sectors. Across the city, manual sweeping of roads continued. A Noida Authority official said that the issues have been recorded and instructions have been issued to field teams to carry out repairs and dust control measures at the identified spots. With Stage I of GRAP coming into immediate effect, the commission asked agencies to implement the 27-action points listed in stage I, including periodic mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling on roads, ensuring that diesel generator sets are not used as a regular source of power supply, strictly enforcing the extant ban on coal or firewood as fuel in tandoors in hotels, restaurants, and open eateries, and stopping construction and demolition (C&D) sites in Delhi-NCR with an area of more than 500 sqm which are not registered with the state govt through their web portals.CAQM also asked people to follow the ‘citizen charter' of GRAP's stage I. It includes appealing to people to celebrate festivals in an eco-friendly manner and avoid firecrackers; keep PUC certificates up to date; keep vehicle engines properly tuned; turn off engines at red lights; not litter or dispose of waste in open spaces; and prefer hybrid vehicles or EVs to control vehicular pollution.