A ban on demolition work and non-essential construction in the Delhi-NCR has been lifted as the region’s air pollution levels eased. These restrictions imposed under Stage-3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) plan were rolled back under a directive by the Central government’s air quality panel on January 4, 2023.
The 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of Delhi slipped down to 343 at 4 pm on January 4, 2023, from 385 on the day before. An AQI ranging from 201 to 300 indicates ‘poor’, between 301 and 400 is considered ‘very poor’, and from 401 to 500 falls in the ‘severe’ category.
According to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), “The forecast by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology does not suggest that the AQI would slip into the “severe” category in the coming days.”
“It is, therefore, felt that it is advisable to relax the stringent restrictions and roll back Stage-3 of the Graded Response Action Plan with immediate effect in the entire national capital region,” the order by CAQM read.
