Overview
- The Commission for Air Quality Management, which reviewed conditions Thursday, activated the first tier of its emergency plan after Delhi’s average AQI hit 226.
- By Friday morning, CPCB data showed Delhi at 241 with Noida at 275, Greater Noida 322, Ghaziabad 329, Gurugram 243, and Faridabad 178.
- Stage I curbs ban open burning, stop coal or wood in tandoors, restrict older diesel and petrol vehicles, limit diesel generators to essential use, and force dust control at building sites.
- IMD and IITM forecast air quality in the poor range for the next two days, and the CAQM sub-committee will review trends for any escalation or rollback.
- GRAP is a four-step framework tied to AQI thresholds, and this April activation follows a March 16 rollback and a January spike that had reached the highest stage, showing how fast weather can swing policy and daily routines.