EPCA gearing up to roll out graded response on air pollution

The EPCA, empowered by the Centre to roll out the graded response action against air pollution in Delhi and NCR towns, may come out with the first set of directives when it meets on Friday.
EPCA member Sunita Narain, the Director General of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the body will write to the agencies responsible for implementing specific measures after getting inputs on the level of pollution from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Importantly, unlike the two rounds of odd-even car rationing scheme implemented last year, any such future action under the graded plan when pollution touches 'emergency' level will also have two-wheelers under its ambit, another EPCA member has said.

"We have to first find out the levels of pollution. On Friday we are meeting and we will pass directions that are needed. We will write to the civic bodies if needed. CPCB has to set up a process to inform us what the levels are," Narain told PTI.
The Centre today informed the Supreme Court that it has notified the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on January 12.
At the current level of pollution, that is oscillating between 'poor' and 'moderate', the measures that are to be enforced under GRAP include strict ban on garbage burning, closing brick kilns, mechanised sweeping of roads, enforcing ban on fire-crackers among others.

If pollution climbs to the next level, very poor, tougher measures are to be enforced including hiking parking fees by up to 4 per cent, banning diesel generator sets and increasing frequency of metro.

Under the plan, odd-even car rationing scheme and halt on construction activities may be imposed across Delhi-NCR if air quality remains at the 'emergency' level for 48-hours.
As per the Air Quality Index (AQI) of CPCB, Delhi air was in the 'poor' category today. It was mostly 'very poor' last week.
SAFAR air monitoring agency recorded the running average of PM 2.5 and PM 10 at 92 and 167 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3), in 'poor' and 'moderate' categories respectively.

The 24-hour prescribed standards of PM 2.5 and PM 10 are 60 and 100 (ug/m3) respectively and prolonged exposure to anything beyond that harms the respiratory system and may cause cardiac complications.
The formation of EPCA, an SC-mandated body that has over a dozen members, was notified in 1998 by the Union Environment Ministry under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.