The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday lifted Phase 3 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR following improvement in air quality. The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP cancels Phase-3 of the existing schedule of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP said in a post on Twitter. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also shared an update on Twitter, informing that GRAP-3 restrictions have been lifted in the capital and GRAP-2 is now in place.
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Under the revised measures, the requirement of 50% work from home in offices has been abolished and the hybrid mode in schools has been abolished. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), a layer of smog blanketed the national capital on Wednesday morning and the average air quality index (AQI) stood at 337 at 7 am, falling in the ‘very poor’ category despite the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-III in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
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The AQI around India Gate was recorded at 358, while the AQI near Ghazipur area was 363. The AQI around All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) stood at 348. Visuals near the South Extension showed a layer of toxic smog over the area. AQI 348 was recorded around the area at 7 am. The AQI level in Bawana at 7 am was recorded at 377, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category. Meanwhile, as ash clouds from Ethiopia’s Haile Gubbi volcano are reaching India, environmentalist Vimlendu Jha said the ash clouds will not have an “immediate impact” on Delhi’s AQI.