Pollution management authorities in the Indian national capital Thursday (Jan 16) lifted curbs introduced a day earlier aimed at reining in the rising air quality index (AQI). The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), in a statement, said that air quality in Delhi and nearby cities had improved following overnight rains, prompting the withdrawal of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) level 4 restrictions. Under GRAP, a set of rules and restrictions are implemented once the AQI goes above a certain level. GRAP-4 is invoked when AQI soars above the 400-mark.

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The CAQM added that the GRAP-3 restrictions will remain in place.

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"CAQM sub-committee on GRAP... straightaway invoked both Stage-III and Stage-IV of revised GRAP when the AQI of Delhi breached the 350 mark... as the AQI of the day for yesterday recorded 386 and started to exhibit a sharp increasing trend, indicating a possibility to even breach the 400 mark," the panel said in the statement.

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As reported in the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) bulletin, Delhi’s AQI today hovered around the 300-mark. It added that Delhi’s air quality is expected to stay in ‘very poor’ category in the coming days.

"As per the dynamic model and forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/IITM, the overall air quality of Delhi is likely to stay in the lower end of the 'Very Poor' category in the coming days."

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CAQM said it promptly withdrew the GRAP-4 restrictions owing to its vast impact on daily life and disruption to a large number of stakeholders and the public at large.

Major restrictions under GRAP-4 include a ban on all construction activities and a restriction on entry of trucks. Schools are also required to shift to online mode, barring classes 10th and 12th. Delhi-registered BS-4 and older diesel-run heavy goods vehicles are banned in the city until GRAP-4 remains in effect.

(With inputs from agencies)