First phase implemented, know what it means?,( means) 

New Delhi: Delhi’s air is once again becoming poisonous,( means)  as the air quality of the capital has reached the poor category. The central government’s air quality committee on Friday directed officials to ban the use of coal in hotels and restaurants and take punitive action against polluting industries and thermal power plants after the air quality in Delhi reached ‘poor’ category. This step has been taken under the Phased Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Central Government to be implemented to deal with air pollution in Delhi-NCR during winter.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is the statutory body responsible for actively implementing GRAP. According to the Commission, in the last 24 hours, a ‘sudden decline’ was recorded in the air quality parameters in the area, due to which the Air Quality Index of Delhi reached 212 i.e. poor category. “There is a need to implement the first phase of GRAP with immediate effect across the entire NCR in an effort to prevent further deterioration in air quality in the region,” the Commission said in a statement.

GRAP has been classified into four phases based on air quality in Delhi-NCR. The first phase is implemented when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 201-300 i.e. ‘poor’. The second stage is implemented when AQI is 301-400 (very poor), the third stage is implemented when AQI is 401-450 (severe) and the fourth stage is implemented when AQI is more than 450 (more than severe).

The officials have also been tasked to take punitive action against polluting industrial units and thermal power plants within 300 km of Delhi and impose a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors of hotels, restaurants and open eateries. Ensuring proper implementation of guidelines to control dust from construction and demolition sites also comes under the first phase.

Steps to be taken under the second phase include increasing parking charges and promoting CNG/electric bus and metro services with an aim to reduce the use of personal vehicles. Under the third phase, there is a provision to ban the use of BS-3 four-wheelers running on petrol and BS-4 four-wheelers running on diesel in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar. The fourth phase includes banning all types of construction and demolition work. State governments are also authorized to take decisions regarding online classes for school students and work from home for government and private offices during such situations.