Delhi NCR Air Pollution Worsens Stage I GRAP Measures Activated Immediately
Delhi-NCR’s worsening air quality has prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to activate Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), marking the beginning of another pollution season that threatens public health and urban sustainability. The air quality index (AQI) touched 211 on October 14, placing the region firmly in the ‘poor’ category.
The latest CAQM review, informed by forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), predicts persistent poor air quality over the coming days. The sub-committee has, therefore, directed all implementing agencies across the National Capital Region to enforce the Stage I protocols immediately and intensify surveillance against violations.Under GRAP Stage I, civic and pollution control authorities must tighten emissions monitoring at industrial units, construction sites, and power plants. Inspections of polluting vehicles will be stepped up, and restrictions have been imposed on open waste burning, diesel generator use, and the consumption of coal or firewood in eateries. Waste management agencies have been instructed to ensure regular collection and scientific disposal of solid, hazardous, and construction waste to prevent illegal dumping.
Officials emphasise that the GRAP framework is designed as a preventive mechanism to stop AQI levels from slipping into the more dangerous “very poor” or “severe” categories. They note that real progress will depend on both administrative efficiency and citizen participation. The citizen charter under Stage I calls on residents to maintain vehicle fitness, avoid idling at traffic lights, and prefer public transport or electric vehicles over private petrol or diesel options.
Experts on urban environment stress that Delhi-NCR’s recurring pollution crisis is not merely an environmental issue but a social and economic challenge that affects productivity, public health expenditure, and urban liveability. The need for sustainable transport systems, clean energy transitions, and decentralised waste management has never been more urgent.As the city braces for Diwali and the ensuing stubble-burning period, policymakers face renewed pressure to translate air quality advisories into effective on-ground action. The coming weeks will test the region’s preparedness to safeguard its residents and sustain its commitment to a cleaner, greener urban future.
