Overview
- CAQM, which met Tuesday, invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR after Delhi’s daily average AQI reached 208 in the poor band.
- Stage I triggers dust control and road cleaning, bans coal and firewood in tandoors at eateries, restricts diesel generators to emergencies, and steps up vehicle emission checks.
- Meteorologists link the spike to summer conditions that lift and trap dust (PM10) and to strong sunlight that turns NOx and VOC emissions into ground-level ozone.
- Enforcement teams reported 39 violations during 125 inspections between April 29 and May 19, with actions proposed or taken including closures, sealing of DG sets, show-cause notices, and fines.
- CPCB readings showed Noida at 233, Ghaziabad at 247, Greater Noida at 312, and Gurugram at 178, and IMD/IITM expect air to stay in the poor category for the next few days.