AS GRAP FAILS, POLLUTION STRATEGY LOOKS SUSPECT

It's going to be about a week since the provisions under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) level 4 was implemented for the second time by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) as air pollution level moved into 400 plus category.

- SIDHARTH MISHRA

This meant that, among other things, middle-class people using diesel vehicles were asked to go off road.

This has been done because somehow the makers of the provision feel that diesel vehicles used by common people and diesel generators providing power when government supplies fail are the main culprit.

Anyway, having acted against these 'villains', and also taken punitive action against those who dared to come out for a week now, the air quality has got only worse.

The weather department says till the time wind again gains speed or it rains, the air quality would remain bad.

So when the CAQM was taking credit and releasing statements that during the first 15 days of December this year Delhi air quality was best in the last 6 years, it should have added that it was God's act thanks to the high wind speed and western disturbance.

Hence the bottom line is Delhi is at God's mercy and even the strictest norms do not help.

Time to work on long-term solutions rather than a few stop-gap arrangements.