Delhi government : Today marks the implementation of Delhi’s stricter anti-air pollution regulations; who is exempt from the new restrictions?
Delhi government : To address the worrisome increase in air pollution, the Delhi government has imposed stricter restrictions starting Thursday. The limits under GRAP-4, which had been in effect since December 13, were not enough to reduce the pollution, thus the curbs were announced.
The national capital has been suffering from extreme air pollution for the last three days, which has forced the authorities to implement further restrictions.
Vehicles below BS-VI will not be permitted to operate on the roads as part of the restrictions. Fuel will not be available at gas stations for vehicles without a valid PUC. Additionally, private offices have been instructed to implement a 50% work-from-home policy.
Who is exempt?
The government made it clear in an official statement that certain cars and services would not be impacted by limitations.
-Emergency vehicles that operate on gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG), such as ambulances, police, emergency response teams, and fire tenders, would not be impacted by the limits on their use.
-Frontline employees, such as those employed by the fire department, hospitals, or organizations that combat air pollution, will be excluded from the work from home regulation.
“Ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles and other emergency response units operating on petrol or CNG will continue to function without interruption, ensuring that public safety and medical services are not impacted by the drive,” the notice states.
As authorities are ready to take tougher measures against anybody found to be in violation of pollution standards, particularly those without proper Pollution Under Control certificates (PUCC), the exception has been clarified.
Public safety and emergency services will be given first priority, officials said, but the action is part of larger measures to fight air pollution.
Early Thursday morning, Delhi reported an AQI of 358, falling into the “very poor” category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that the 24-hour average AQI was 334 on Wednesday.
The CPCB states that an AQI of 0 to 50 is deemed “good,” 51 to 100 “satisfactory,” 101 to 200 “moderate,” 201-300 “poor,” 301 to 400 “very poor,” and 401 to 500 “severe.”