Delhi’s air pollution crisis worsened on Saturday with the capital city and its neighbouring areas’ air quality dipping further, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) to impose stage 4 of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday stood at 441 (as of 6 p.m.) – the worst air quality of the year so far. The recording surpassed the earlier high of 428 recorded on November 11, as per official data.
Earlier on Saturday, the CAQM had implemented curbs under stage 3 of GRAP after the AQI slipped into the ‘severe’ category, which was attributed to slow wind speed, unfavourable weather conditions and meteorological parameters.
“Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality and in an effort to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP decides to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-IV of the extant GRAP- ‘Severe+’ Air Quality (DELHI AQI>450), with immediate effect and in the entire NCR), the CAQM said in a statement.
With the Air Quality Early Warning System predicting the AQI to remain ‘severe’ on Sunday as well, the GRAP-4 curbs will be in place in addition to the actions under Stages I, II, and III of extant GRAP already in place.
Stage 4 curbs include a ban on all construction activities, entry of non-essential polluting trucks into Delhi, and mandatory shifting of school classes to hybrid mode, except for Classes 10 and 12. Non-essential diesel trucks are also prohibited from entering Delhi, while Delhi-registered BS-IV and older diesel-run heavy goods vehicles are banned, except for essential services under Stage 4.
Also Read: GRAP stage III invoked across Delhi-NCR
As a result, the Delhi Directorate of Education on Saturday directed all schools to conduct classes for students up to Class IX and XI in a hybrid mode.
According to the circular dated December 13, government, government-aided, and unaided recognised private schools under the Directorate of Education, NDMC, MCD, and the Delhi Cantonment Board have been instructed to offer both physical and online classes wherever feasible until further orders.
In an official order, the government directed that all administrative secretaries and heads of departments shall attend office regularly, with no more than 50 per cent staff strength physically present.
“The remaining 50 per cent staff shall work from home, provided that the Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Departments can call officers/officials to the office, as required to ensure uninterrupted delivery of essential and emergency public services,” the order read.
Likewise, the order stipulated that all private offices operating within Delhi shall function with no more than 50 per cent staff physically attending the workplace.
“The remaining staff shall mandatorily work from home,” it added.
The order also urged all private entities to implement staggered working hours where feasible.
Furthermore, private offices have been instructed to ensure strict compliance with work-from-home norms and minimise vehicular movement related to office commutes.
“Hospitals and other public/private health establishments, Fire Services, Prisons, Public Transport, Electricity, Water, Sanitation and related municipal services, disaster management and related services, forest and environment departments/agencies engaged in air pollution control, monitoring, and enforcement activities (like teams deployed to curb biomass burning, dust control, GRAP measures, etc.), and other essential/emergency services shall be exempted from these directions,” the order said.
Follow us
