Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further during the day, breaching the 400 mark, and dipping into the ‘Severe+’ category, forcing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the Centre’s anti-pollution panel, to impose GRAP 4 restrictions in the national capital and its adjoining areas from tonight.

This comes hours after CAQM imposed GRAP 3 during the day when the air quality was hovering over 300. During the day, the panel said measures in stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) have been implemented following “highly unfavourable meteorological conditions, including calm winds and very low mixing height”. Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index, which was 379 at 4 pm, which breached the 400 mark around 10 pm.

Later in the evening, the panel said, “Considering the steep rise in the AQI of Delhi owing to highly unfavourable meteorological conditions and absolute calm wind conditions, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP called for an emergency meeting.”

The Sub-Committee decided to impose Stage-IV (‘Severe+’ Air Quality) of the  GRAP schedule (issued on 13.12.2024) in the entire NCR, with immediate effect,” they added.

Meanwhile, schools in Noida will start from 9 am tomorrow due to severe cold and air pollution, operating in a hybrid mode.