With Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing the 200 mark, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) triggered Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for the NCR on Monday.

The move comes as Delhi recorded a daily average AQI of 234 on Monday, placing it in the “poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board bulletin.

In response to the worsening air quality, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP held a meeting on Monday to review the situation and consult weather forecasts from the Indian Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, it said.

The forecasts suggest that Delhi’s air quality will remain in the “poor” category for the next few days due to unfavourable meteorological conditions. As a result, CAQM has ordered that from 8 am on October 15, all 27 measures under Stage-I of GRAP will be enforced across the NCR. These actions are focused on mitigating dust pollution, curbing vehicle emissions and enforcing stricter regulations on construction and demolition activities.

The CAQM has also called upon citizens to follow the guidelines laid out in the Citizen Charter of GRAP Stage-I. Key recommendations include keeping vehicles tuned, maintaining proper tyre pressure, avoiding idling engines and reporting any violations of air pollution regulations through the Green Delhi, SAMEER or 311 mobile apps.