This winter, pollution curbs to come 3 days before AQI crisis

July 14, 2022

In News:

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which sets in with emergency measures when air quality worsens in Delhi, is likely to be revised.
A policy prepared by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to curb air pollution in the NCR has recommended revisions to the GRAP.

What’s in Today’s Article:

In focus: Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

GRAP consists of institutionalised measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates.
It was approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 and notified in 2017.
- The plan was formulated after several meetings between Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), state government and experts.
GRAP works only as an emergency measure.
- The plan does not include action by various state governments to be taken throughout the year to tackle industrial, vehicular and combustion emissions.
It is implemented in graded manner when the air quality moves from ‘Poor’ to ‘Very Poor’, 'Very poor' to 'severe' or others.

National Air Quality Index (AQI)

It was launched in October 2014 to disseminate information on air quality in an easily understandable form for the general public.
The measurement of air quality is based on eight pollutants, namely, PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)

CAQM is a statutory body formed under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, Act 2021.
The commission aims at better coordination, research, identification, and resolution of problems related to air quality in NCR and adjoining areas.

News Summary

A policy prepared by the CAQM to curb air pollution in the NCR has been made public.
The policy recommends action in different sectors within a specific timeline to control pollution and meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Key highlights of the policy:

Revisions to the GRAP
- Suggested revisions to the GRAP include taking action based on the air quality index (AQI).
  - Under the existing system, responses that kick in are based on particulate matter concentrations.
- The changes announced will let the authorities take appropriate measures three days before the situation deteriorates.
  - Under the existing plan, action was initiated when pollution levels reached a certain threshold, and not in advance.
- This will be facilitated by the latest technology which will help in anticipating the pollution levels in the near future.
  - Curbs will be implemented based on forecasts made by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
Four different stages of adverse AQI
- Under the new GRAP for Delhi-NCR, there will be four different stages of adverse AQI:
  - Stage I – Poor (AQI 201-300); Stage II – Very Poor (AQI 301-400); Stage III – Severe (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV – Severe Plus (AQI over 450).
Action plan for curbing pollution

Pollution goals to be implemented in short-term, medium-term and long-term
- The policy has come up with pollution goals to be implemented in the short term (one year), medium term (2-3 years) and long term (five years).
- It also recommends sector-wise actions to be implemented by Delhi government and NCR states over a given timeframe.
- Specific instructions had been laid out to 14 sectors, among them industries, vehicles, transport, clean energy, construction and demolition, stubble burning, road dust and municipal solid waste incineration.
Use of clean fuel like PNG for the entire NCR
- The policy advises use of clean fuel like PNG for the entire NCR, not just Delhi.
- In view of the much higher prices of PNG compared with conventional fuels, It also talks about the need for uniform and affordable pricing structure.
Need to upscale the use of the bio-decomposer solution
- The policy also stressed the need to upscale the use of the bio-decomposer solution to deal with paddy straw in the harvest season of 2022.

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