Why is this in News?
- On 13 December 2025, air quality in Delhi–NCR deteriorated to ‘Severe+’ levels.
- Daily average AQI crossed 450, prompting authorities to invoke GRAP-IV, the strictest stage of India’s air-pollution emergency framework.
- Decision taken by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) following an emergency meeting, citing:
- Rising AQI trend.
- Unfavourable meteorological conditions (low wind speed, temperature inversion).
Relevance
- GS III (Environment & Disaster Management)
- Air pollution and urban environmental challenges
- Public health emergencies due to environmental degradation
- Disaster management: response to severe air-quality events
- Sustainable urban development
What is GRAP?
- GRAP – Graded Response Action Plan:
- A pre-defined, stage-wise emergency response framework to tackle air pollution in Delhi–NCR.
- Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 (MC Mehta case).
- Statutory backing:
- Implemented and enforced by CAQM under the CAQM Act, 2021.
- Objective:
- Move from ad-hoc bans → predictable, rule-based escalation of actions as pollution worsens.
GRAP Stages and AQI Thresholds
| GRAP Stage | AQI Range | Air Quality Category |
| GRAP-I | 201–300 | Poor |
| GRAP-II | 301–400 | Very Poor |
| GRAP-III | 401–450 | Severe |
| GRAP-IV | >450 | Severe+ / Hazardous |
What is GRAP-IV?
- Emergency pollution control stage activated when:
- AQI exceeds 450.
- Reflects conditions posing serious health risks, even to healthy individuals.
- Focus:
- Immediate reduction of pollution sources, regardless of economic disruption.
Measures Enforced Under GRAP-IV
Transport Restrictions
- Ban on entry of BS-IV trucks into Delhi.
- Exceptions:
- Vehicles carrying essential commodities.
- Emergency services.
Construction and Infrastructure
- Complete ban on:
- Construction and demolition (C&D) activities.
- Highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges.
- Power transmission, pipelines, telecom infrastructure.
- Rationale:
- C&D dust is a major PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ contributor.
Educational Institutions
- Hybrid mode for:
- Classes VI–IX and XI.
- Objective:
- Reduce exposure of children to toxic air.
- Lower transport-related emissions.
Offices and Workplaces
- 50% capacity rule for:
- Public, municipal, and private offices.
- Remaining staff:
- Work From Home (WFH).
- Aim:
- Curtail vehicular movement and congestion.
Institutional Framework Behind GRAP
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
- Statutory body (2021).
- Jurisdiction:
- Delhi + NCR states (Haryana, UP, Rajasthan).
- Powers:
- Issue binding directions.
- Override State government actions if required.
- Addresses:
- Fragmentation in air-quality governance.
Why Does Delhi–NCR Repeatedly Enter GRAP-IV?
Structural Causes
- Geography & meteorology:
- Landlocked region.
- Winter temperature inversion.
- Emission sources:
- Vehicular emissions.
- Construction dust.
- Biomass and waste burning.
- Industrial emissions.
- Seasonal factors:
- Crop residue burning (October–November).
- Low wind speeds in winter.
Critical Evaluation of GRAP-IV
Strengths
- Rule-based, predictable response.
- Judicial backing ensures compliance.
- Region-wide coordination via CAQM.
- Immediate health protection focus.
Limitations
- Reactive, not preventive:
- Triggered after pollution becomes hazardous.
- High economic and social cost:
- Construction halt.
- Disrupted livelihoods.
- Weak enforcement at local levels.
- Does not address year-round emission sources.
GRAP-IV vs Long-Term Air Pollution Control
| Aspect | GRAP-IV | Long-Term Measures |
| Nature | Emergency response | Structural reform |
| Time horizon | Short-term | Continuous |
| Focus | Source suppression | Emission reduction |
| Examples | Bans, WFH, closures | Clean energy, transport reform, urban planning |
Way Forward
Short-Term
- Better forecasting and early activation of lower GRAP stages.
- Strict enforcement of dust-control norms year-round.
Medium to Long-Term
- Shift from seasonal firefighting to:
- Clean transport transition.
- Industrial emission standards.
- Waste management reforms.
- Strengthen airshed-based governance beyond NCR.
- Integrate GRAP with:
- National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
- State-level clean air action plans.
