Delhi Police Steps Up Checks To Enforce GRAP Stage IV As Air Pollution Worsens

In response to worsening air quality in the Delhi-NCR region, Delhi Police have intensified vehicle checks to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV regulations.

On Tuesday night, officials conducted thorough inspections to ensure compliance with the ban on Delhi-registered BS-IV and older diesel-operated medium and heavy goods vehicles (MGVs and HGVs), except those involved in essential services.

Photo Credit: ANI

GRAP Stage IV in Effect

Stage IV of GRAP was activated on November 18, following alarming levels of air pollution in Delhi, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring into the "severe" category. The measures are designed to curb vehicular emissions by restricting certain categories of vehicles to mitigate the health hazards posed by the polluted air. The regulations primarily target non-essential diesel vehicles, particularly those with outdated emission norms.

Calls for Emergency Measures

Amid the air quality crisis, Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai has written to Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, urging the convening of an emergency meeting to explore the use of cloud seeding as a potential solution. Cloud seeding, which involves inducing artificial rainfall to break the smog layer, was discussed last year in collaboration with IIT Kanpur as an emergency measure to alleviate the pollution during critical periods. However, despite preparations for its implementation as early as August, Rai noted that no formal meeting had yet taken place.

Rai stressed the urgency of breaking the dense smog layer to reduce pollution levels, stating that artificial rainfall is now needed to mitigate the environmental crisis.

Comprehensive Measures to Tackle Pollution

As part of the ongoing efforts to combat the air quality crisis, the Delhi government has also enforced several additional measures, including banning BS-III petrol four-wheelers and BS-IV diesel vehicles, along with restricting the entry of trucks and diesel buses from outside Delhi. Schools for Classes 10 and 12 have been closed, and office hours have been staggered to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Work-from-home policies are also under deliberation.

"We are implementing all measures within our capacity and will continue to do so. Breaking the smog layer is critical," Rai emphasized.

Supreme Court Directive

In a significant development, the Supreme Court has directed the Delhi and NCR governments to strictly implement the GRAP Stage IV measures. The court acknowledged the severe AQI levels and called for immediate enforcement of the regulations. Furthermore, the court instructed the formation of monitoring teams to oversee the implementation of GRAP actions and emphasized that the Stage IV measures should remain in place even if the AQI falls below 450.

The court also directed all NCR states and the central government to submit compliance affidavits to ensure that the anti-pollution measures are being enforced effectively.