New policy introduced to fight air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Know details here

To combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recently unveiled a new policy. The new policy includes a number of sector-specific action plans over the following five years. The Supreme Court ordered the CAQM to enlist suggestions from members of the general public and subject-matter experts in December of last year in order to "find a permanent solution to the air pollution menace" in Delhi-NCR.

As a result, the policy was created. By December 31, 2026, Punjab and Haryana must use 6 million tonnes and 2 million tonnes, respectively, of paddy straw in industrial applications, along with thermal power plants, biomass power, and the manufacture of biofuels, to minimise stubble burning. An expert team was formed by the commission in January to study recommendations from the public and experts and provide a strategy to reduce air pollution.

As of the deadline established by the Union Environment Ministry, all thermal projects located within a 300 km radius must ensure compliance with emission standards. By December 31, 2024, all diesel-powered auto-rickshaws in the NCR, including those in Gurugram, Faridabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Ghaziabad, are to be phased out. Beginning January 1, 2023, electric and CND vehicles will be registered in NCR.

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The state government has requested to implement scrappage policy for outdated, unusable vehicles. To transition long-haul truckers and other commercial vehicles to gas, Delhi and all NCR states will need to come up with a strategy to build a CNG and LNG fueling network in the NCR and on highways.

Beginning January 1, 2023, coal use in industrial applications will be prohibited. The policy also emphasised the necessity to ramp up this year's harvest season use of the bio-decomposer solution, which breaks down paddy straw. The strategy requires the creation of early warning systems to alert commuters and provide route detours in the districts of Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Ghaziabad in order to effectively manage traffic. In order to encompass rural and peri-urban areas, it also emphasises improving the quality of air pollution data and filling in any gaps using sensor-based monitoring.

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The Graded Response Action Plan, a set of anti-air pollution measures implemented in Delhi and NCR regions in accordance with the severity of the issue, was also updated as part of the strategy by the CAQM. During the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) period, only emergency uses of diesel generators will be permitted to run continuously. No limits will apply to diesel generator (DG) sets that are entirely fueled by PNG, LPG, biogas, propane, or butane. The early application of the limits based on forecasts is the main goal of the updated strategy. In the past, the authorities would only put the measures into place once the PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations reached a certain point.

In addition, the revised plan calls for a ban on BS IV four-wheeler diesel vehicles in Delhi and the NCR's bordering districts, with the exception of those performing critical services, if the air quality index (AQI) crosses the 450 level. Mid-October, when air pollution levels in the area start to worsen, is when the Graded Response Action Plan, which was announced by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2017, goes into effect.

The GRAP for NCR has now been divided into four categories according to the severity of Delhi's poor air quality: Stage I is labelled "Poor" (AQI 201-300), Stage II is labelled "Very Poor" (AQI 301-400), Stage III is labelled "Severe," and Stage IV is labelled "Severe Plus" (AQI >450).

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(With inputs from PTI)