Delhi's Battle Against Severe Air Quality: GRAP-4 Restrictions Under Scrutiny

Delhi's Air Quality Index hit alarming levels, nearing 400, prompting the Supreme Court to continue GRAP-4 restrictions until November 25. Vehicular emissions and stubble burning are major contributors. While cloud seeding remains costly and challenging, governmental coordination on restrictions and artificial rain proposals are being pursued.

Delhi's air quality continued to raise alarms as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) approached the severe 400-mark on Friday. The rise drew sharp criticism from the Supreme Court over inadequate enforcement of GRAP-4 restrictions, chiefly concerning the control of truck entries.

The Supreme Court announced that the severe restrictions will remain in place at least until November 25, pending a review. This decision came as the Central Pollution Control Board noted a spike in the 24-hour AQI average to 393 from 371 the previous day, with 22 out of 35 monitoring stations reporting severe air quality levels.

The situation is exacerbated by pollution sources such as vehicular emissions and stubble burning, which contribute significantly to the problem. Although cloud seeding has been proposed as a potential solution, limited winter moisture and high costs present significant hurdles, according to the CPCB. Meanwhile, government bodies continue to push for stricter enforcement and cooperation across departments.

(With inputs from agencies.)