GRAP Stage III Imposed in Delhi-NCR

Source: The Hindu

Why in news?

Air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) plunged into the 'severe' range, and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Sub-Committee on GRAP imposed Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan with immediate effect after an emergency review on Friday evening. It is linked to the earlier note on firecrackers and the Supreme Court's concern over Delhi-NCR air quality.

Measures under Stage III in this round

• A ban on private BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and high-density NCR districts.
• Primary schools up to Class V in Delhi-NCR must move to hybrid learning.
• Advisories for remote work.
• Under Stage III generally, non-essential construction and demolition work is also banned. 

Why the air turned bad?

• Weather: Stagnant winds and a possible temperature inversion, which acts as a "lid" and traps baseline emissions, farm fumes and Diwali smoke near the surface. Diwali falling in November, with colder temperatures, makes firecracker smoke linger longer.
• Sources of PM 2.5 (IITM's Decision Support System): Transport is the largest at 17.6%, followed by farm fire smoke at 7.9%.
• Farm fires: Punjab and Haryana have shown a fall compared with earlier years, but central Indian states such as Madhya Pradesh (1,220 fires) and Rajasthan (1,097 fires) have become major sources, which shows a shifting geographic baseline.

About GRAP

• An emergency framework of incremental measures to stop air quality from worsening in Delhi-NCR.
• Formulated after the Supreme Court's order in M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (2016). It is now implemented by the CAQM, which replaced the EPCA in 2021.
• It is not a permanent policy. It is activated during peak pollution periods, mostly October to February.
• The CAQM was set up under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.

The four stages

Evolution of the framework

• Earlier GRAP was reactive and triggered after the air turned toxic, using PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations.
• Since 2022 the CAQM has used a forecast-based approach based on AQI. Stage III or IV can be invoked up to 3 days in advance if meteorological data suggest the AQI will cross the threshold.
• Key components: targeted limits on the construction and demolition sector and on transport; Green War Rooms (Delhi's real-time monitoring of 13 identified hotspots); and public participation through apps such as SAFAR and Sameer to check AQI and report violations.

Conclusion

GRAP Stage III shows that early, forecast-based action can limit the worst episodes, but it only manages the symptoms. Lasting improvement needs year-round, region-wide action on transport, dust, industry and crop residue, supported by citizens' participation.