In New Delhi, the capital, the air quality has plummeted into the ‘severe’ category, where the city is taking strong measures to battle the worsening pollution crisis. From Friday morning, the third phase of the Graded Response Action Plan, GRAP-3, notified by the Commission for Air Quality Management, will be in action. This series of curbs is expected to improve the air quality in the city and also ensure public health.
What’s New Under GRAP-3?
GRAP-3 includes the most significant parametres. It includes blanket prohibition on hazardous building and demolition activities in Delhi and the NCR regions of Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar. However, such activities that are crucial to national security and health projects along with any critical public infrastructure will continue.
As a measure of curbing the already ill-fated situation, Delhi roads will be barred for entry, old vehicles with high emission, especially petrol ones that do not meet BS-III norms, and diesel below BS-IV standards. This would be an effort in trying to minimize air pollution from vehicle emissions by one of its major contributors.
It has also intensified the mechanized usage of street-sweeping machines and water sprinkling trucks to minimize dust particles in the air. On a ‘broad scale’, the use of diesel generators will also be restricted, save for emergencies.
Why this Sudden Change to ‘Critical’ Pollution Levels?
It was the first time in the season when Delhi’s Air Quality Index touched a record high of 428 at 9 AM on Friday and put the air quality in the ‘severe’ category. The steep rise in the levels of pollution thereby brought about led to officials deciding and activating the more stringent GRAP-3 measures.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai attributed some meteorological factors for the exacerbating pollution in a sudden change in tack. The AQI stayed above 400 for the last two days. Many wonder earnestly why the air quality that progressed from ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ overnight. That is more or less the drop in temperature and dry conditions due to snowfall in mountains, Rai said. Cold conditions are thought to be exacerbating the level of pollution in northern India, particularly in Delhi.
Health Risks and Public Warnings
Health risks are relatively serious at ‘severe’ levels of the AQI. While physicians urge citizens to remain indoors as much as they can, doctors are especially warning people to stay indoors during early morning and late evening hours when pollution is at its worst.
Dr Arunesh Kumar, a senior consultant in respiratory medicine at Paras Health in Gurugram, said such high levels of pollution would cause a result on both physical and psycho-emotional well-being. “If it’s absolutely necessary to step outdoors, then an N95 mask is advisable to filter out the harmful particles,” he said. “Inside homes, using a HEPA air purifier can cut down harmful particles in the air,” he added.
The hazardous impact of air pollution can be at its most challenging during childhood, old age, and among other individuals with antecedent disorders in respiratory. Apart from the respiratory illness, doctors have also reported that the dangerous nature of air quality has implications in mood, cognitive abilities, as well as emotional toughness.
Transportation Restrictions
Public transport is also impacted in light of the pollution scenario. Restrictions are imposed on high-emitting vehicles and extended even to public buses, which are also declining in numbers, thereby reducing pollution emissions into the air.
Moving Forward
Pollution crisis in Delhi is not something of very old news, but AQI level rising abruptly and unprecedented this year left all seriously concerned. Experts say that GRAP-3, in fact, applies some short-term measures toward curbing pollution in the city, though solutions lie in the longer term in order to really solve the roots of the problems that still beleaguer Delhi with air quality problems. Some of these are proper waste management and the stringent standards of emissions from vehicles and encouraging greener alternatives than those traditionally followed in construction practices.
In view of its acute difficulty, residents want comprehensive measures that would effectively address the problem rather than just symptomatic relief measures. Meanwhile, Delhiites are advised to be aware of the situation as well as out and about as little as possible in order to take sufficient precautions to guard health.
Conclusion
The immediate needs for short-term and long-term measures in the prevailing Delhi pollution crisis would bring improvement in the quality of air. Even while the citizenry took to the streets protesting against the grim measures brought on by GRAP-3, imposed by the Delhi city government, the citizenry needs to wake up and take personal responsibility regarding their health and wellness. Since the pollution situation is not going to fade away anytime soon, it remains a call to every resident of Delhi to remain alert and reduce their exposure to the impact of the smog within the next few days.
