Construction ban imposed as air pollution reaches critical levels – key details. Measures taken to combat Delhi air pollution.
As pollution continues to wreak havoc across North India, the efforts are in to combat the worsening air quality. Strict implementation of GRAP-4 (Graded Response Action Plan) restrictions has been directed with the file being sent to the Lieutenant Governor for final approval.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced that the restrictions under GRAP-IV will be implemented in Delhi.
Rai emphasised the alarming rise in pollution levels, which have been exacerbated by stubble burning and other factors, with several areas recording AQI readings surpassing 400. He said: “The entire North India has now fallen into the grip of severe pollution. Elderly people are facing difficulty in breathing, and schools for children are being forced to close. People’s lives are being continuously impacted negatively by this.”
The Environment Minister further highlighted the severity of the situation, noting, “In North India, Bahadurgarh’s AQI has reached 477, Bhiwani 468, Churu’s 472, Gurugram’s 448, and Dharuhera 410. Pollution’s impact, combined with the changing weather, is becoming increasingly deadly across North India.”
Rai said GRAP-IV has been implemented in Delhi, under which the entry of large trucks and BS-IV diesel vehicles has been banned, and all types of construction and demolition activities have been completely restricted. Only CNG, electric, BS-VI diesel, and commercial vehicles providing essential goods and services will be exempted.
He said: “All schools have been closed, except for classes 10 and 12. Instructions have been given to provide masks to students. Guidelines have been issued for this. The Health Department has been directed to form a special task force to ensure the treatment of pollution-related patients.”
He pointed out that despite AAP’s consistent efforts, the central government’s negligence is worsening the situation.
Rai said it is well known that stubble burning has been a significant factor in this issue. He stated, “When the Aam Aadmi Party government was formed in Punjab in 2022, a total of 47,000 incidents of stubble burning were reported between October 15 and November 17. The Punjab government took significant steps, and as a result, in 2024, there were only 7,500 incidents of stubble burning during the same period.”
He said: “In contrast, during the same period, there were 1,500 incidents of stubble burning in Uttar Pradesh in 2022, which has now increased to 2,500. On the one hand, we have succeeded in reducing stubble burning incidents in Punjab by about 80 percent, while on the other hand, there has been an increase in such incidents in Uttar Pradesh.”
“On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party is making consistent efforts, but the BJP’s neglect has worsened the situation. In Delhi, BS-4 diesel buses, known for causing pollution, continue to operate, and the BJP government refuses to stop them,” asserted the Delhi Minister.
Rai said if the central government, now in its third term, had taken responsibility and collaborated with all states to create an effective plan, the people of Delhi and North India wouldn’t have to face such severe conditions.
He said: “Around mid-August, I wrote to the Union Environment Minister regarding the worsening situation. Now, with reduced wind speeds and thick smog over the region, we are witnessing the outcomes of inaction.”
The Minister had suggested convening a meeting with IIT Kanpur and the Delhi government to prepare for emergency measures, such as using artificial rain to clear the smog. However, despite repeated requests, the BJP government has not held a single meeting to address the issue.
The Delhi Minister said many months have passed, yet the BJP government has neither found time nor seen the necessity to address the pollution crisis. He said, “This delay has left Delhi’s residents to suffer the dire consequences of pollution, and even now, there’s no sign of proactive steps from the central government.”
He added: “This negligence and lack of action are unacceptable. I want to address the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party: how long will you continue to let the people of Delhi and North India suffer from this severe pollution? How long will you remain indifferent? As the ruling government of the country, don’t you have any responsibility?”
He further said: “The BJP have left half of India in a state of medical emergency, remaining silent without taking action. They neither speak nor act, nor do they allow others to act. This is unacceptable.”
He added that the Delhi government, on its part, is consistently working to address the issue. “GRAP IV (Graded Response Action Plan) has been implemented in Delhi. Today itself, we held a high-level meeting with officials, and all departments have been directed to strictly enforce GRAP IV measures without any negligence,” he said.
Rai concluded by saying: “We are doing everything within our capacity, but I urge the Bharatiya Janata Party government to wake up and take action. Stop putting people’s lives and health at risk. Emergency measures must be implemented immediately to protect North India from the devastating impact of this pollution.”
