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CSB IAS ACADEMY

GRAP TO COME IN FORCE IN NCR FROM OCT
15 AS AQI DIPS TO 'POOR' AFTER 3
MONTHS

 As the air quality in the national capital hit 'poor' level just before the onset of
the winter season, the Supreme Court-man-
dated Environment Pollution (Prevention
and Control) Authority (EPCA) said that
stricter measures to fight the air pollution
will be enforced in Delhi and nearby ar-
eas from October 15 as a part of Graded
Response Action Plan (GRAP).
 The pollution control body also has asked
Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh
to 'try and avert' the need to take strict mea-
sures, such as banning construction and in-
dustries, as the economy is already under stress due to the coronavirus-man-
dated lockdown.
 The EPCA also directed the governments of Delhi, Haryana and UP to ban the
use of diesel generators, except for essential and emergency services, in the
national capital and the neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater
Noida, Faridabad and Gurugram.
 The action by the pollution watchdog came as Delhi's air quality turned poor on
Wednesday, the first time since June 29, with CPCB recording a 24-hour average
air quality index (AQI) of 215.
 The PM10 levels in Delhi-NCR on Wednesday stood at 234 micrograms per
cubic metre (µg/m3) while PM2.5 was 93 µg/m3.
 The EPCA will soon issue a list of “exclusions and emergency services” where
the use of diesel generators will be allowed.
 Measures such as a ban on construction activity, industries using non-PNG fuels,
and closure of thermal power plants kick in when the air quality in the region
hits “emergency” levels.

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CSB IAS ACADEMY Contact us: 9966436875

 EPCA also stressed that co-morbid health conditions are a huge challenge dur-
ing the COVID-19 pandemic and there is enough evidence that pollution will
make them more dangerous.
 The measures under GRAP, which was first implemented in Delhi-NCR in 2017,
include increasing bus and metro services, hiking parking fees and stopping
use of diesel generator sets when the air quality turns poor.
 When the situation turns "severe", GRAP recommends closure of brick kilns,
stone crushers and hot mix plants, sprinkling of water, frequent mechanised clean-
ing of roads and maximising power generation from natural gas.
 The measures to be followed in the "emergency" situation include stopping the
entry of trucks in Delhi, ban on construction activities and introduction of the
odd-even car rationing scheme.
 An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and
200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500
'severe'.

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