Delhi restricts construction, schools advised to go online as air quality worsens

 

A ban has been imposed on all non-essential construction work and demolition work in the Delhi-NCR region. Besides, schools have also been advised to hold classes online.

Source: India today 

With the worsening air quality in Delhi, a ban has been imposed on all non-essential construction work and demolition work in the city. The entry of light commercial vehicles and diesel trucks has also been banned in the national capital.

Besides, schools have also been advised to hold classes online. The state governments in the Delhi-NCR region will likely take a decision to discontinue physical classes in schools for children up to class 5.

The restrictions have been imposed as part of stage III of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) -- under the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

Activities to be strictly banned following the GRAP 3 implementation:

1. Earthwork for excavation and filling, including boring and drilling works.
2. All structural construction work, including fabrication and welding operations and demolition work.
3. Loading and unloading of construction materials anywhere within or outside the project sites.
4. The transfer of raw materials either manually or through conveyor belts, including fly ash
5. The movement of vehicles on unpaved roads.
6. The laying of sewer line, waterline, drainage work and electric cabling by an open trench system.
7. The cutting and fixing of tiles, stones and other flooring materials.
8. Grinding activities, piling work, water proofing work, painting, polishing and varnishing work etc.

At a meeting to review the air quality of Delhi-NCR, the CAQM said that the pollution levels are only "expected to increase further" owing to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 402 at 5 pm. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".

According to the weather department, the national capital is likely to witness shallow fog in the next three days.

Visibility reduced to just 500 metres at the Safdarjung Observatory around 7 am, gradually improving to 800 metres as temperatures increased during the day, an India Meteorological Department official said on Thursday.

Every year, Delhi experiences peak pollution from November 1 to November 15 when the number of stubble burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana increase, as per an analysis conducted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

According to CAQM, the number of stubble burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana since September 15 has reduced by around 56 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively, compared to the corresponding period last year.

Source: India today 

Stage 3 of GRAP involves a complete halt to construction and demolition work except for essential government projects, mining and stone crushing.

It also includes a ban on the entry of light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi