November 21, 2024
📰 FEATURE STORY
Can GRAP help Delhi’s air pollution woes?
It’s that time of the year again when New Delhi’s air pollution woes are in the news. It’s become an annual tradition as the government struggles to keep pollution levels low in the national capital. The pollution levels have risen to their highest point this year, forcing schools and offices to close. In some parts, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is over 30 times the maximum level. So, what’s being done?
The government has proposed many solutions. One is the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). It involves several anti-pollution measures, including restrictions on certain vehicles inside the city and a ban on activities like construction that cause pollution, among others. The Supreme Court has criticised the Delhi government for its delayed rollout of GRAP. But can it work?
Context
Pollution woes have become an annual affair for Delhi citizens. We don’t need experts to tell us how poor air quality affects people’s health. Since the mid-2010s, air pollution has been in the public eye in New Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). But it all began many years before.
Despite legislation on pollution control, like the 1981 Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and 1986 Environment (Protection) Act, air quality in India’s cities began to deteriorate. In 1996, the Supreme Court issued a suo motu notice to the Delhi government for an action plan to control air pollution. It came in the wake of a non-profit releasing a report called “Slow Murder” that highlighted the pollution crisis.
After the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) submitted a report in 1998 that included an action plan to reduce air pollution over the next two years, the government’s plan included converting vehicles – replacing the entire bus fleet and pre-1990 autorickshaws with new ones running on compressed CNG.
Since these were introduced, the sources of pollution in Delhi-NCR have only grown. Despite tighter emission norms, the number of vehicles increased from 4.2 million in 2004 to over 10 million in 2018. The population of NCR grew from 16.6 million in 2001 to over 46 million in 2011. More industries began cropping up around Delhi, stubble burning became prevalent, and Delhi rapidly urbanised.
From 2010 to 2015-16, successive governments didn’t take many concrete measures. Pollution levels continued to reach record levels. Public transport couldn’t keep up. There wasn’t much effort to control mobility demand in terms of replacing vehicles.
Things became serious in 2016 when Delhi faced one of its worst smog episodes. The PM2.5 levels rose to over 12.5 times the acceptable limit. In response, the government introduced the “odd-even” measure. Though it did reduce peak pollution levels, it wasn’t a sustainable long-term solution.
The Delhi government will now implement GRAP – a set of restrictions on vehicles and activities inside the city. For example, trucks aren’t allowed inside the city except those carrying essential items or running on clean fuel. Construction activities, including roads, flyovers, and power lines are suspended.
With everything the city has tried in the past, can GRAP be the silver bullet?
VIEW: It’s the right approach
The GRAP was formed in 2017 and has been regularly updated since. The most recent was on September 17, 2024, by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The original plan was devised along the lines of an emergency alert system, which directs governments, officials, and agencies to take swift measures to mitigate peak pollution levels during winter.
Initially, GRAP was based on PM2.5 and PM10 concentration levels. Subsequent revisions are based on the city’s AQI levels. It was also more of a reactive system but now follows a proactive approach. The new system was developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research. It forecasts pollution levels for three days, which helps the government take pre-emptive actions. The shift from a reactive to a proactive approach enables quick and targeted interventions.
Among the new additions to GRAP, which is categorised into stages based on the severity of the situation, is vehicular emissions. It’s one of the main contributors to Delhi’s air pollution. Since they’re a year-round source of pollution, GRAP puts pressure on officials to regulate vehicular activity. There’s a focus on not allowing diesel vehicles that are BS-III and below.
COUNTERVIEW: Unlikely to work
The restrictions under GRAP have become common for Delhiites. These measures have been criticised for their efficacy and implementation. While GRAP Stage IV is the highest action plan with the most stringent measures, they only bring limited relief. A 2020 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found a 15-20% drop in PM2.5 levels thanks to GRAP measures. Still, pollution levels remained in the “very poor” to “severe” categories.
GRAP was supposed to be an emergency alert system. However, by the time officials act, it’s too late. Tackling air pollution needs a constant, comprehensive, and long-term approach instead of short-term emergency measures. Even then, the Supreme Court criticised the Delhi government for delays in implementing GRAP Stage IV and the lack of coordination between agencies and states. That’s another issue since the government hasn’t been able to do much about stubble burning from neighbouring states.
While GRAP has temporary positives, it also has limitations. New Delhi first needs to be prepared. That means agencies and departments should be in sync for GRAP to work. Also, measures like vehicular curbs aren’t effectively implemented. For example, the pollution under-control certificate system has been criticised for its inability to catch polluting vehicles. GRAP can’t be seen as a long-term solution since it’s inherently implemented in an ad-hoc manner.
Reference Links:
- Fighting air pollution in Delhi for 2 decades: A short but lethal history – Down to Earth
- GRAP-IV in Delhi-NCR: What is allowed and what is banned as AQI rises to ‘severe plus’ – The Hindu
- Delhi’s air quality crisis: Supreme Court cracks down on state for delayed GRAP-4 roll out – Down To Earth
- Why GRAP IV isn’t enough for Delhi to get to grips with air pollution – India Today
- What is GRAP, the National Capital Region’s plan to tackle air pollution? – Scroll
- The clean air challenge – Down to Earth
What is your opinion on this?
(Only subscribers can participate in polls)
a) GRAP can help Delhi’s air pollution woes.
b) GRAP can’t help Delhi’s air pollution woes.
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