Grey clouds of smog have returned in India's national capital with the air quality index ticking downwards to 'poor' for the first time in four months, on the morning of Oct. 14, 2025.
Following this, the Commission for Air Quality Management has enforced curbs under GRAP-1 in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
The CAQM, which is the centre's anti-pollution panel, announced its decision through an order on Tuesday after Delhi's AQI was under the 'poor' category at reported at 211.
Some of the main restrictions and measures under GRAP-1 include curbs on construction activities, such as a strict ban on labour-intensive construction activities sans dust mitigation along with mandatory water sprinkling at all project sites; restrictions on industries and vehicles like more vigilant inspections of polluting industries and stricter CNG compliance for public transport.
Besides these, the measures include an immediate stop on all garbage burning activities and more stringent bio-medical waste handling protocols along with black carbon emission audits for heavy vehicles.
Implementation of actions under Stage I (Poor, Air Quality, AQI: 201-3OO) of the extant schedule of GRAP comes into immediate effect in Delhi-NCR pic.twitter.com/FqElL6TdXf
Additionally, power plants within 10 km of Delhi will have to switch to 100% piped natural gas.
These measures have to be undertaken by district administrations, pollution control boards and municipal bodies in Delhi as well as NCR districts in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab.
The order also stresses on diligent monitoring with every agency doubling down on measures and maintaining a "strict vigil" to prevent the AQI from slipping into 'Very Poor' or 'Severe' categories.
IITM's high-resolution forecasting system has predicted that calm winds and clear skies in the next week could trap pollutants, and potentially elevate the AQI to 250+ by the end of the month.
The forecasting system claims that it has 80% accuracy in predicting 'Very Poor' episodes.
Winters are a harsher season for the inhabitants of Delhi NCR, last winter itself the region lived through over 50 'severe' days, costing the population both health wise and economically.
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