The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body, issued orders on Friday to impose a ban on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR due to the deteriorating air quality in the region.
Any LMVs (4-wheelers) running on roads with BS-III petrol or BS-IV diesel will face prosecution under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, resulting in a fine of Rs 20,000.
Under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), CAQM has lifted a ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing, and mining in Delhi-NCR. However, construction work pertaining to national security or defence, projects of national importance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation, and water supply is exempt from the ban. Additionally, restrictions have been imposed on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.
Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) has been steadily rising since this morning, reaching 397 at 12 pm and 405 at 3:05 pm.
The CAQM Sub-Committee for Operationalization of actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) decided to re-invoke an 8-point action plan as per Stage III of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region.
The Ministry stated, “This is in addition to the restrictive actions under Stage-I and Stage-II of GRAP already in force in NCR. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP and Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR and DPCC [Delhi Pollution Control Committee] have also been advised to ensure strict implementation of actions under Stage-III of GRAP in addition to actions under Stage-I and Stage-II of GRAP during this period.”
GRAP is the Centre’s air pollution control plan implemented in the region during the winter season. GRAP categorises actions into four stages: 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 >450).