Cold, foggy Delhi forced to down tools yet again

NEW DELHI: With Delhi's air quality deteriorating to 'severe' category, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday imposed measures under Stage III of Graded Response Action Plan and banned construction and demolition activities. It also banned brick kilns, hot-mix plants, stone crushers and mining activities.
The commission has directed implementing agencies to ensure strict ban on industrial operations using non-cleaner fuels in NCR. However, the transport department will discuss and take a call on banning BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles.
The overall air quality index (AQI) was in the extreme-end of 'very poor' category with a reading of 400 as per Central Pollution Control Board's bulletin released at 4 pm, but the AQI touched 402 at 5 pm in 'severe' category. Though the AQI was 340 in 'very poor' category on Thursday, it started deteriorating on Friday.
"It has been noted that the air quality has suddenly and unexpectedly deteriorated owing to dense foggy conditions without much sunlight and very low temperatures, coupled with calm winds and stable atmospheric conditions over past few hours. Further, there is an increasing trend in the overall AQI of Delhi in the coming days as per the forecast of IMD/IITM. Therefore, it is considered necessary to re-impose Stage III of GRAP with immediate effect in the entire NCR in an effort to steer clear of further deterioration of air quality in the region," said the CAQM.
The commission said as per the dynamic model and weather/meteorological forecast, the average air quality of Delhi is likely to deteriorate further on Saturday and the overall AQI is expected to stay in the 'severe' category.
Before this, the CAQM had imposed Stage III of GRAP on December 30 last year, but it was revoked on January 4 after the air quality improved. However, the air quality worsened soon after the commission rolled back restrictions.
The CAQM's order on Friday banned C&D activities, except railway services/railway stations, metro rail services and stations, airports and inter-state bus terminals, national security/defence-related activities/projects of national importance, hospitals/health care facilities, linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission and pipelines, sanitation projects like sewage treatment plants and water supply project, etc.
Plumbing, interior decoration, electrical and carpentry related activities have been allowed.