Delhi: Graded Response Action Plan team to meet today for review

NEW DELHI: After the air quality deteriorated to 'very poor' on Wednesday for the first time this season, Central Pollution Control Board called for a meeting of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) task force on Friday to review the steps taken.


As pre-emptive steps, the task force may also decide on newer and tougher measures, an official said.

"The task force, which includes officials from the different pollution control boards and experts, will discuss the current air quality, the prediction ahead and the need for more proactive measures, if any," he said.

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GRAP to curb air pollution in NCR, which came into force earlier on Tuesday, will roll out stricter measures after the task force's recommendation. Prepared by CPCB and first implemented in 2017, the Graded Response Action Plan lists tough measures, like stopping entry of trucks, use of diesel generators, and closing brick kilns and stone crushers, to curb air pollution.

This year, GRAP will witness the return of Delhi government's odd-even car rationing scheme from November 4 and also the extension of the ban on diesel gensets to Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida , Faridabad , Sonepat, Panipat and Bahadurgarh. The apex pollution control board is also holding regular meetings with different government agencies to ensure implementation faces no hiccups.

CPCB has asked for a swift redressal of pollution-related complaints, which are registered with various agencies and on SAMEER app, and has even deployed 46 teams across the region to identify problem areas and catch polluting activities.