• The Supreme Court rapped the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) over its failure to curb air pollution in Delhi due to crop residue burning in the neighbouring states and said it needs to be more active in its approach.

• Expressing dissatisfaction over steps taken by the panel to control pollution, a bench of Justices  said CAQM needs to exercise its power under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.

• The Supreme Court said efforts are needed to ensure that stubble-burning alternative equipment are used at the grassroots level.

What is CAQM?

• The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas has been constituted through promulgation of an ordinance in October 2020 to replace multiple committees and streamline public participation, inter-state cooperation, expert involvement, research and innovation so as to mitigate the issue of air pollution.

• Later, a Bill was passed to replace the ordinance. 

• The Commission has been constituted under the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 was notified for better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems surrounding the air quality index in NCR and adjoining areas. 

• The Commission is mandated for a coordinated approach to address the problem of air pollution emanating from all such sources, which inter-alia include power, agriculture, transport, industry, residential and construction. 

• The broad-based Commission to have a dedicated and participative mechanism, adopting a collaborative and participatory approach involving relevant central ministries/ departments, state governments, local bodies and other stakeholders to tackle air pollution.

• The Commission, from time to time, has been issuing advisories and directions containing policy initiatives and actions directed towards improvement of air quality in the region.

As per the Act, three statutory sub-committees have been constituted towards prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution. They are:

i) Monitoring and Identification

ii) Safeguarding and Enforcement

iii) Research and Development. 

• The Commission has also constituted other sub-committees on Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for specific purposes besides constitution of expert groups for certain tasks towards abatement of air pollution in the region.

Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been introduced since 2017 to tackle the issue of sudden rise of air pollution levels, especially in Delhi and NCR in winter season. 

The GRAP comprises measures such as:

• Prohibition on entry of trucks into Delhi.

• Ban on construction activities.

• Introduction of odd and even scheme for private vehicles.

• Shutting of schools.

• Closure of brick kilns.

• Hot mix plants and stone crushers.

• Shutting down of Badarpur power plant.

• Ban on diesel generator sets.

• Garbage burning in landfills and plying of visibly polluting vehicles, etc. 

• The nature, scope and rigour of measures to be taken is linked to FOUR different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi.

The GRAP for the NCR has been classified under four different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi.

• Stage - 1 - Poor (AQI 201-300)

• Stage - 2 - Very Poor (AQI 301-400)

• Stage - 3 - Severe (AQI 401-450)

• Stage - 4 - Severe+ (AQI > 450).

• Based on the dynamic model and weather/ meteorological forecast by IMD/IITM on a day-to-day basis, actions under different stages of the GRAP shall be invoked in advance of the AQI reaching to the projected levels of that stage, also provided that the higher projected AQI levels are likely to sustain for longer periods (say three days or more). 

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