Delhi to implement of Grap-I,Grap-II restrictions strictly: Gopal Rai

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Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said all the departments concerned have been directed to ensure strict implementation of restrictions under GRAP Stage-I and Stage-II following a weather department prediction that pollution levels in the national capital might fluctuate.

Addressing a press conference, Rai said, "Keeping the improved pollution levels in mind, GRAP-III restrictions have been removed. However, the weather department has predicted that the pollution level could fluctuate if the wind speed slows. To avoid such a situation, all the departments concerned have been directed to ensure strict implementation of GRAP-I and GRAP-II restrictions."

"The ban on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles have been removed and restrictions on construction and demolition lifted," Rai added.

"Instructions have been given to sprinkle water on the identified roads everyday and use mechanical sweeping machines continuously. Water is being sprayed with 215 mobile anti-smog guns out of which 60 have been deployed for hotspots. A total of 375 water sprinkling machines have been deployed and 82 mechanical sweeping machines are in operation," the minister said.

Rai said construction sites with an area of 500 square metres or more must be registered on the web portal, for which the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has been instructed to run a special campaign. It is necessary to follow 14 rules related to dust norms at all construction sites.

Teams will take strict action if the rules are not followed. For this, 591 teams have been deployed. Instructions have been given to strictly follow the rules regarding the deployment of anti-smog guns at C&D sites, he said.

Anti-open burning campaign is being run in Delhi from November 14 and a total of 611 teams have been deployed. It will continue till December 14, Rai stated.

The minister further mentioned that instructions have been given to strictly follow the pollution under control rules for vehicles and impose maximum penalties on polluting vehicles. For this, 84 teams have been deployed by the transport department. Also, 284 teams of Delhi Police have been deployed, he said.

Rai stated that instructions have been given to solve the problem of traffic congestion by deploying special teams at the 91 traffic congestion points mentioned by the traffic police.

He appealed to the people of Delhi to register grievances on the Green Delhi app if they see the works which contribute to rising pollution.

The Centre on Tuesday ordered the revocation of restrictions under GRAP Stage-III in the entire NCR with immediate effect following an improvement in the air quality.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, met on Tuesday in view of the significant improvement in the overall air quality of Delhi-NCR.

Air quality forecasts by the India Meteorological Department/Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology do not indicate the average air quality of Delhi to move to the 'severe' category in the coming days for which the forecast is available, the CAQM had said.