The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices to Delhi and Punjab State administrations regarding the violations of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The GRAP involves implementing stricter measures to combat air pollution during the winter months.
About Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)
- In 2014, WHO research revealed Delhi to be the most polluted city in the world. This led to the creation of the GRAP.
- Following numerous expert discussions, the Supreme Court accepted GRAP in the 2016 case of M. C. Mehta v. Union of India.
- January 2017 saw the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change notify GRAP for the first time.
Implementation
- The implementation of GRAP has been transferred to the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) as of 2021.
- The Supreme Court-appointed EPCA will direct states to implement GRAP measures before 2021.
- The EPCA was dissolved in 2020, and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) took its place.
- The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) produce meteorological forecasts, which are the basis for the CAQM recommendations. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is also used.
