NEW DELHI: With air quality in the capital deteriorating by the day, Delhi to now rely on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) coming into effect on Tuesday for any improvement. The action plan has been designed to push into operation a number of anti-pollution measures depending on the quality of air. So each category — moderate to poor, very poor, severe and emergency — will entail specific actions.Two days before Diwali, Delhi’s air quality is hovering between poor and very poor. On Monday, the capital’s air quality index logged at 290, which falls in CPCB’s severe classification. The AQI on Sunday was similar with a reading of 289.Given these measures, the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) has accordingly directed measures meant for combating very poor air quality to be implemented from Tuesday. This will see stoppage in running of diesel sets, a three-fourfold increase in the parking rates, enhanced bus and metro services, and newspapers, TV and radio stations alerts on a daily basis with advice to people with respiratory and cardiac problems.Simultaneously, measures falling under the moderate-to-poor category will also be in place and will involve periodical mechanised sweeping of roads, deployment of traffic police for smooth flow of traffic at identified choke areas and strict enforcement of pollution norms at brick kilns and industrial complexes.“We will review all air monitoring stations across the capital each day and localised action can be taken if a particular station record alarming degradation in air quality,” said Dipankar Saha , head of CPCB’s air laboratory. “Meanwhile, the task force will review daily readings and data from CPCB, Indian Meteorological Department and state pollution control boards, following which instructions to implement measures can be given. The task force will review measures each day and public awareness will also be achieved through websites, newspapers, TV channels and radio stations.”While EPCA has been tasked to ensure the implementation of these measures by issuing instructions to the various agencies involved, the task force consisting of CPCB, IMD and SPCBs will review actions and send reports on a daily basis.“The air quality index and the weather forecast will be taken from CPCB and IMD. Based on this AQI, the air quality category will be determined and measures will be taken accordingly. Currently, measures falling in the very poor category will come into place to ensure that the air quality does not deteriorate,” reiterated Anumita Roy Chowdhury, head of CSE’s clean air campaign.Air quality data for the period between October 1, 2016 and January 13, 2017 reveals that around 8% of the days had emergency levels of pollution, 15% were in the severe category and 51% in the very poor level. Under GRAP, measures like the odd-even car operation scheme can also be implemented if the air quality remains in the extreme category for 48 hours, with respirable PM2.5 pollutants at above 300 micrograms per cubic metre and coarser PM10 particles at above 500 micrograms per cubic metre.