Proactive action? Grap 3 gone, toxic air remains

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked Grap Stage 3 restrictions on Wednesday at an Air Quality Index of 327 - still firmly in the "very poor" category and amid mounting public frustration - allowing construction activities and older diesel vehicles back on roads during the Capital's 21st consecutive day of hazardous air.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

The decision on repealing the third of the graded response action plan (Grap) level of curbs came despite forecasts indicating air quality will remain 'very poor' through the coming days and just a week after the Supreme Court encouraged the commission to take "proactive action" in making pollution control measures more stringent.

Delhi's 24-hour average AQI stood at 327 at 4pm on Wednesday when the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCP) releases its daily national bulletin. While marginally better than Tuesday's 353 and Monday's 382, the reading marks the 21st straight day of AQI above 300-tying for the fifth-longest pollution streak since monitoring began in April 2015.

The CBCP classifies air between 301-400 as 'very poor', a level that causes respiratory discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure - a fact that was also noted at the Supreme Court on Wednesday when the Chief Justice and senior lawyers narrated their own experiences with breathing difficulties.

CAQM's order didn't adequately explain the rationale behind its move. It seemed to suggest that the marginal improvement in AQI, and the fact that its new more stringent Grap norms announced on November 21, warranted a move to a lower Grap category, despite forecasts that showed that the AQI will continue to be very poor.

"The AQI of Delhi has been improving since the last three days and has been recorded at 327 today. Further, the forecast by the IMD and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology predicts AQI to remain in the 'very poor' category in the coming days," the CAQM sub-committee stated, announcing the revocation of Stage 3 measures imposed November 11.

Mukesh Khare, an air pollution expert from IIT Delhi, said the decision to remove Stage 3 measures was taken too early and too quickly.