New Delhi:

Delhi has enforced tighter rules to control air pollution after the air quality index, or AQI, reached the ‘severe’ category. All non-essential construction and demolition work are banned, among other actions.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) took the decision to raise the pollution mitigation level to GRAP-3, effective from 8 am on Friday.

While GRAP-3 is in effect, petrol vehicles from the older emission norms BS-III and diesel vehicles of BS-IV category are not allowed on the roads in Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) such as Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.

The ban on construction work does not apply to projects needed for national security, healthcare, and certain public infrastructure work.

The third phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-3) also involves deploying more mechanised road-sweeping and water-sprinkling machines to suppress dust. Diesel generator sets will be restricted to emergency use only.

Earlier today, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had said GRAP-3 would not be implemented.

“For the last two days, for the first time this season, AQI has gone above 400 in Delhi. Many people have questions in their minds about why the AQI which was in the ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ category since October 14 suddenly went into the ‘severe’ category,” he said.

“Meteorologists have reported that due to snowfall in the mountains, a drop in the temperature of Delhi has been recorded. Due to this, dry conditions have been created in the morning and evening in the entirety of north India,” Mr Rai said.

Delhi’s AQI at 9 am today was in ‘severe’ category, with a reading of 428. On Wednesday, the city reported the worst AQI in the country, with air quality turning ‘severe’ for the first time this season.

Doctors have cautioned people to stay indoors as much as possible. The effects of severe air pollution is not only limited to physical health, but also extended to cognitive wellbeing, affecting mood and emotional resilience.

Dr Arunesh Kumar, a senior consultant on respiratory medicine at Paras Health, Gurugram, said people need to limit  outdoor activities, especially during early morning and late evening when air quality is typically poor, to protect the body from the impact of pollution post-festive season.

“If going outside is necessary, wearing an N95 mask can help filter harmful particles. Indoors, using a HEPA air purifier is recommended as it can significantly reduce particulate matter,” Dr Kumar told news agency PTI.