Graded Response Action Plan

Revised GRAP to deal with adverse air quality scenario

A graded Response Action Plan is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold.

It is based on a plan that was submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in November 2016. The GRAP was first notified in January 2017 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) has directed Delhi and neighbouring States to implement air pollution control measures under very poor and severe category air quality of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from 15th October 2020.

GRAP includes the measures which will be taken by different government agencies to prevent worsening of Air Quality of Delhi-NCR and prevent PM10 and PM2.5 levels to go beyond the ‘moderate’ national Air Quality Index (AQI) category.

If air quality reaches the severe+ stage, GRAP talks about shutting down schools and implementing the odd-even road-space rationing scheme.

The plan requires action and coordination among 13 different agencies in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan (NCR areas).

Dust from the (Construction & Demolition) C&D activities is a major and consistent source of air pollution and contributes adversely to the spike in PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the NCR.

Use of treated water to mitigate large quantities of dust generated at C&D sites through use of anti-smog guns, sprinklers etc. with prescribed wet suppression, wind brokers, dust barrier screens, covering of construction material and C&D debris, proper disposal of C&D wastes including transportation in covered vehicles etc. are some of the steps that are essentially to be followed by C&D projects in the NCR.