GRAP-3 Reimposed In Delhi As City's AQI Back In 'Very Poor' Category, Schools To Go In Hybrid Mode Till Class 5

Schools and colleges in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida will shift classes to hybrid mode for students till 5th standard in view of GRAP III.

The restrictions under GRAP-III have been reimposed in Delhi as the Air Quality Index (AQI) dipped to 'very poor' category, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Monday.

 

The schools and colleges in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida have been shifted back to hybrid mode for students till 5th standard in view of the GRAP III recommendations.

 

At a review meeting, the CAQM said that Delhi's AQI breached the 350 mark on Monday afternoon and it may worsen owing to extremely calm wind and buildup of an inversion layer adversely affecting the vertical mixing height, the height above the surface throughout which a pollutant can be dispersed.

 

Meanwhile, forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology also indicate that the air quality may remain in the higher end of the very poor category owing to the continued unfavourable meteorological conditions.

 

"Therefore, in an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality, it decided that all actions under stage III of the latest GRAP schedule issued by the commission on December 13 be implemented with immediate effect in the entire NCR, in addition to actions under stages I and II," the order read. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index, recorded at 4 pm daily, stood at 379. 

 

The students and parents will have the option to choose online education wherever it is available. The Stage 3 restrictions also entails a ban on non-essential diesel-operated medium goods vehicles with BS-IV or older standards within Delhi.  

 

The Delhi and NCR state governments have also been directed to stagger timings for public offices and municipal bodies under stage III. The central government may also decide on similar staggered timings for central government offices in Delhi-NCR.

 

The city's air remains under poor air quality, caused by unfavourable weather conditions, during winter months from November to January.

 

During winters, Delhi frequently enforces restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which categorises air quality into four stages -- Stage I (Poor) with AQI between 201 and 300, Stage II (Very Poor) between 301 and 400, Stage III (Severe) between 401 and 450, and Stage IV (Severe Plus) for AQI above 450.