GRAP-1 curbs imposed in Delhi-NCR as air quality deteriorates to ‘poor’

GRAP Stage 1 is the first level of a graded emergency plan for Delhi-NCR. It is imposed when air quality enters the ‘poor’ category, with AQI between 201 and 300. The purpose is to prevent pollution from worsening and protect public health.

Delhi’s AQI reached 245 at 4 pm on Wednesday, compared with 179 on Tuesday. That was the first ‘poor’ air-quality day of the season. Gurugram recorded 216, while Noida recorded 249, placing both in the same category.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the measures after air quality deteriorated following overnight Dussehra celebrations. The CAQM also recorded Delhi’s AQI at 244 at 2 pm. Forecasts from the IMD and IITM indicated that conditions could remain ‘poor’ in the coming days, supporting the need for continued controls.

The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is a public measure that summarizes air pollution into categories. It helps people and authorities understand whether air is acceptable or harmful and whether stronger controls are needed. Higher AQI values represent more polluted air.

The article identifies 201 to 300 as the ‘poor’ category. When AQI reaches this range in Delhi-NCR, GRAP Stage 1 is activated. Delhi’s reading was 245 at 4 pm, while Gurugram recorded 216 and Noida recorded 249. All three readings were therefore classified as ‘poor’.

The category signals that pollution has moved beyond moderate conditions and requires action. Delhi’s AQI had been 179 on Tuesday, which was ‘moderate’. Its rise into the poor range led authorities to impose the initial GRAP restrictions, while forecasts suggested poor air could continue.

GRAP Stage 1 limits activities that can add to pollution once Delhi-NCR’s AQI enters the ‘poor’ range. These early controls are designed to stop air quality from deteriorating further before stronger GRAP stages become necessary.

Under the measures described, hotels, restaurants, and eateries cannot use coal or firewood as fuel. Diesel generators are not freely permitted either. They may be operated only during emergency or essential situations. These rules target fuel-burning activities that can release additional pollution into the air.

The restrictions were imposed after Delhi’s AQI reached 245, the first ‘poor’ reading of the season. Gurugram and Noida also entered the poor category. If pollution continues to rise, GRAP moves to stricter stages, bringing broader emergency responses for ‘very poor’, ‘severe’, and ‘severe plus’ conditions.

Delhi’s air quality moved sharply from the ‘moderate’ category into ‘poor’. The CPCB’s 4 pm data put Delhi’s AQI at 245, compared with 179 at 4 pm on Tuesday. That is a 66-point difference using those stated figures. The article also reports a 59-point rise, reflecting a separate comparison in its coverage.

The three major regional readings were close but not identical. Noida recorded 249 at 4 pm, the highest of the three. Delhi stood at 245, while Gurugram was lower at 216. Each reading fell within the 201–300 ‘poor’ range.

The change prompted GRAP Stage 1 across Delhi-NCR. The CAQM separately reported Delhi’s AQI at 244 at 2 pm on October 21. Forecasts from the IMD and IITM suggested that poor air quality could persist in the following days.

GRAP becomes stricter as air quality worsens. Stage 2 is triggered when AQI reaches the ‘very poor’ range of 301 to 400. Stage 3 begins in the ‘severe’ category, when AQI is between 401 and 500. These stages add stronger emergency responses to curb emissions.

The article describes Stage 4 as the final level. It is enforced when pollution breaches the 450 mark and conditions reach the ‘severe plus’ category. The measures are intended to protect public health during critical pollution emergencies.

Delhi-NCR was currently under Stage 1 because Delhi’s AQI was 245, within the ‘poor’ range. The IMD and IITM predicted that air quality would remain poor in the upcoming days. If readings rise, authorities could move through the higher GRAP stages and impose more stringent controls.

Delhi-NCR’s pollution often worsens when emissions rise and the atmosphere cannot disperse them. Common contributors include vehicle exhaust, construction dust, industrial emissions, coal or firewood burning, and crop-residue burning. Festival fireworks can add smoke and fine particles. The article specifically connects the latest deterioration with overnight Dussehra celebrations.

Winter weather can make the problem more persistent. Low wind speeds, cooler air, and a shallow mixing layer can trap pollution close to the ground instead of carrying it away. These conditions can combine with emissions from transport, homes, businesses, and seasonal agricultural burning. The article does not provide a detailed weather explanation for this episode.

Delhi’s AQI rose from 179 to 245, prompting Stage 1. The IMD and IITM predicted poor air in the coming days. Continued emissions and stagnant weather could therefore keep pollution elevated and require stronger GRAP measures.

PM2.5 and PM10 are particulate pollutants: mixtures of tiny solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in air. PM10 particles are 10 micrometres or smaller, while PM2.5 particles are 2.5 micrometres or smaller. The article discusses AQI and pollution controls but does not specifically name either pollutant.

Their small size makes them hazardous. PM10 can enter the respiratory system, while PM2.5 can travel deeper into the lungs. Exposure may cause irritation, coughing, breathing difficulty, and worsening of asthma. Repeated or high exposure is also associated with heart and lung disease, based on established public-health evidence.

AQI is used to communicate overall pollution severity rather than one pollutant alone. Delhi’s AQI reached 245, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. That triggered GRAP Stage 1, including limits on coal, firewood, and diesel-generator use.