NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR with immediate effect on Monday. The GRAP-III was invoked across Delhi-NCR on December 22 to deal with poor air quality and rising air pollution in the city.
As per the statement issued by the CAQM a tions under Stage I and stage II of the GRAP shall however, remain invoked and be implemented and reviewed by all agencies concerned. As GRAP III restrictions were revoked, the ban on BS III petrol and BSIV diesel vehicles in Delhi and surrounding areas was also lifted. However, the ban on construction activities remains intact.
The official statement said that the sub-committee of CAQM revoked the Stage III of GRAP in view of the forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD)/Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) for meteorological conditions and air quality index of Delhi.
The statement further mentioned that the forecast does not indicate any deterioration further and there is a likelihood of the AQI improving while remaining in the very poor/poor category in the next few days. The commission has asked agencies to keep strict vigil and especially intensify measures under Stage-I and II of GRAP in order to obviate the implementation of Stage-III of GRAP.
