Delhi air quality worsens to 'poor'; CAQM enforces Grap Stage I curbs

Delhi’s air quality worsened, falling into the ‘poor’ category on Thursday morning, after being in the ‘moderate’ category for the past few days. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 222 at 8 am on April 3, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), compared to 198 at the same time on Wednesday.

AQI across Delhi-NCR

Air quality across the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) deteriorated, falling in the ‘moderate’ or ‘poor’ category. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 217 at 4 pm on April 2. Faridabad in Haryana reported an AQI of 131, while Noida and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh recorded AQIs of 159 and 204, respectively. Ghaziabad’s AQI also droped to 226, placing it in the ‘poor’ category.

CAQM invokes Grap Stage I curbs

On April 2, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in Delhi-NCR after the city’s AQI entered the ‘poor’ category.

 

Under Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is activated when the AQI falls between 201 and 300, several measures are enforced. Authorities conduct stringent checks on polluting vehicles to ensure compliance with emission norms, while traffic management is intensified to reduce congestion and vehicular emissions. Additionally, industries, power plants, and brick kilns are required to implement stricter emission control measures to minimise their environmental impact.

 

Authorities have urged residents to support Grap by following guidelines such as keeping vehicle engines well-tuned, maintaining proper tyre pressure, and ensuring that pollution control certificates are valid.

Delhi weather update

Delhi residents woke up to clear skies and pleasant weather on Thursday as the summer or pre-monsoon season has officially begun in India. Pleasant mornings are prevelant in Delhi-NCR for the past three days but the temperature rises during the day time. Temperatures are further expected to rise in the coming days.  ALSO READ | Delhi weather update: Clear skies, rising mercury, and 'poor' air quality

 

The weather in Delhi has become relatively warm. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast for today predicts clear skies throughout the day. The maximum temperature is expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to be around 16 degrees Celsius. No heat wave conditions are expected in the national capital. Currently, maximum and minimum temperatures are ranging between 34–38 degrees Celsius and 14–19 degrees Celsius, respectively.