MC Explains: All about stage 1 of Graded Response Action Plan and steps taken by NCR to curb dust pollution

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For the past several years, large parts of northern India have made global headlines at the onset of winter for the poor air quality, with particularly New Delhi and its satellite towns regularly topping the list of the world’s most polluted cities. The Union and state governments have been trying to remedy the situation.

This week the Centre’s panel on air quality, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), issued directions to curb air pollution in the national capital region (NCR) and announced that the region would be immediately placed under the stage 1 ‘poor’ measures of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Authorities in the NCR have been asked to strictly implement measures under the first stage of the GRAP.  On October 5, Ghaziabad recorded an air quality index or AQI of 248 (poor, Gurugram 238, Greater Noida 234, Noida 215 and Delhi 211. The air quality in the national capital improved to the ‘satisfactory’ category (AQI 79) on October 6 owing to favourable wind direction and speed.

Also read: CAQM asks agencies to develop gas infra in Delhi NCR before next winter

What is GRAP?

GRAP was first notified in January 2017 by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change. This was based on a plan submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board in November 2016.

It is an emergency response mechanism that is to be enforced when levels of air pollution touch a particular threshold. Stage 1 of GRAP is activated when the AQI is in the ‘poor’ category (201 to 300). The second, third and fourth stages are to be put in place three days ahead of the AQI reaching the ‘very poor’ category (301 to 400), ‘severe’ category (401 to 450) and ‘severe +’ category (above 450).

A ban on construction activities kicks in (except for those involving railways, projects of national security, hospitals, metro services, and linear public projects like highways, roads) under the ‘severe’ category. Under the previous plan, construction activity was to be halted only in the ‘severe +’ category.

For the data, CAQM depends on air quality and meteorological forecasts by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the India Meteorological Department.

Since 2021, GRAP is being implemented by CAQM.

Measures under GRAP are to be implemented by the pollution control boards of the NCR states and the concerned departments and agencies. This includes traffic police, the transport department and road-owning and construction agencies.

In the version of the GRAP that was notified in 2017, measures kicked in after pollutant concentrations reached a certain level. This year, measures will kick in based on forecasts in an effort to ensure that the AQI does not deteriorate. The older version of GRAP was enforced based only on the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 (denoting the size of particulate matter). This year, GRAP is being enforced based on the AQI, which takes other pollutants such as ozone, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into account.

Under Stage 1, CAQM recommends stopping construction and demolition activities at sites with a plot size equal to or bigger than 500 sq m that are not registered on the web portal of the respective states for remote monitoring of air pollution levels.

The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has stepped up its efforts to enforce the Stage 1 GRAP norms. In Ghaziabad, a taskforce has been set up for the purpose. Around 70 developers have so far registered on the Dust Control Audit Portal.

“We have been inspecting construction sites and have also identified stretches, especially unpaved roads, that add to the dust pollution. As many as 68 developers have so far registered on the Dust Control Audit Portal. Under GRAP 1, all plots larger than 500 sq m that are under construction have to register themselves on the portal. Awas Vikas (UP Awas Vikas Parishad, the state body in charge of providing affordable housing) and Ghaziabad Development Authority have been directed to issue notices to developers who do not adhere to GRAP 1 norms,” Utsav Sharma, the UPPCB regional officer for Ghaziabad, told Moneycontrol.

“Right now, AQI is 35 and under control. The taskforce is keeping a tab on AQI and will be getting data for the next three days based on which it will inform the concerned stakeholders and implementing agencies on what steps they should take going forward,” he said.

In Gautam Buddh Nagar, up to 137 real estate developers and authorities have registered projects on the UP Environment Compliance Portal (upecp.in). Site inspections are on.

UPPCB has initiated a self-declaration of dust control audit by dust generating projects like construction, roads, area development, industrial works and the like.

“GRAP 1 came into force from October 1 and since then strict penalties have also been imposed on those violating the norms. On October 1, Rs 2 lakh was imposed, on October 3, a fine of Rs 1.30 lakh was imposed and on October 6, penalty worth Rs 60,000 was imposed. These have been imposed on developers who had not taken measures to mitigate dust at construction sites,” said Praveen Kumar, the UPPCB regional officer in Noida.

Environment experts say that data from the portal is shared with other civic agencies to ensure better enforcement of dust mitigation measures, and to implement construction bans ordered by CAQM. It helps better monitor these sites, especially when air quality worsens. Usually, developers are required to self-monitor and self-audit their activities while registering on the portal.

On its part, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has set up a ‘green war room’ for monitoring compliance of dust mitigation measures at construction sites and steps taken to mitigate air pollution. "The HSPCB has started inspections of all construction projects with an area of 500 sq m or more which have still not registered on the state’s web portal for dust control," said Pradeep Kumar, member-secretary of HSPCB.

Vinay Gautam, Environmental Engineer, HSPCB, told Moneycontrol that the CAQM guidelines have been circulated to all the deputy commissioners and other stakeholder departments of NCR for strict implementation. “We have set up a 24x7 control room for redressal of complaints pertaining to violation of air pollution norms. So far more than 90 under construction projects have been registered on the portal,” he added

Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai announced a month-long anti-dust campaign to check compliance of pollution norms at construction sites on October 6.

“The anti-dust campaign has begun today in Delhi. As many as 586 teams of 12 government departments and agencies have been formed to check dust pollution at construction sites across the city. This campaign will continue for a month till November 6,” Rai said on Thursday. These teams will conduct surprise inspections at construction sites to check whether they are complying with the pollution norms.

CAQM directions to curb air pollution in NCR under the first stage

The actions recommended include proper implementation of the dust mitigation measures and sound environmental management of construction and demolition waste.

It also directs regular lifting of municipal solid waste, construction and demolition waste and hazardous wastes and ensuring that no waste is dumped illegally on open land.

Periodic mechanised sweeping and/or water sprinkling on roads is required, as is the disposal of dust collected in designated sites/landfills.

Apart from area-based limitations on construction and demolition activity, all materials related to these activities have to be properly contained, covered and stored within the premises, and waste is recycled at the designated processing facility. Besides, anti-smog guns have to be deployed at construction sites.

There is a blanket ban on open burning of biomass and municipal solid waste, with heavy fines for violations.

Traffic police across the region have to ensure smooth movement of vehicles to reduce emissions arising from idling engines, apart from ensuring that motorists have valid pollution under control certificates.