Is GRAP enough to curb pollution?, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas (CAQM) recently announced Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) as air quality deteriorated to the 'poor' category.
• GRAP is a set of four-stage emergency measures designed to reduce air pollution, implemented based on recorded or forecast pollution levels.
• Air pollution in Delhi-NCR typically spikes every winter due to meteorological factors, stubble burning, firecrackers, vehicular emissions, and dust.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change first notified GRAP in January 2017, following directions from the Supreme Court.
• An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) indicates no consistent improvement in Delhi's winter air quality over the past four years despite GRAP implementation.
• The Delhi government has introduced additional restrictions for winter months, effective from November 1, which will apply irrespective of the air quality.

Detailed Insights:

• GRAP measures are incremental, with stricter actions kicking in at higher stages of pollution, such as bans on construction and specific vehicle types.
• Stage I of GRAP is triggered when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is between 201-300 ('Poor'), while Stage IV is for AQI above 450 ('Severe+').
• Initially, GRAP was implemented by the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), a body formed by the Supreme Court in 1998.
• The EPCA was replaced by the statutory body CAQM in 2021, which now implements GRAP and has the authority to take legal action against non-compliant officers.
• Under Stage 1 of GRAP, authorities are directed to ensure diesel generator sets are not used as a regular power source.
• Higher stages, like Stage III, include bans on construction and demolition activities and restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) in Delhi-NCR.
• Stage IV imposes more severe construction bans and restricts the entry of most trucks into Delhi, exempting BS-VI, electric, CNG, and LNG vehicles.
• The new Delhi government restrictions include a ban on non-Delhi-registered motor vehicles below BSVI emission standards from November 1 to January 31.
• Existing parking charges at authorized sites will be doubled from November 1 to February 28 to discourage private vehicle use, except for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) parking.
• In case of conflict, GRAP orders take precedence over the Delhi government's new notification.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): A set of emergency measures to combat air pollution, implemented in stages based on the severity of air quality.
• Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas (CAQM): A statutory body established in 2021 to coordinate, research, and resolve air quality issues in the NCR.
• Air Quality Index (AQI): A tool that converts complex air quality data into a single number, color, and description for easy public understanding.
• Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA): A Supreme Court-mandated body, notified in 1998, that initially managed air pollution in Delhi-NCR before being replaced by CAQM.