Delhi ites may have to pay 3-4 times of the parking fees for their vehicles in coming days if the increasing level of pollutants in the air makes its quality fall within the “very poor” category. According to officials in the backdrop of increasing pollution such steps are necessary to discourage people from using their personal vehicles and rather take public transport.

The air quality is dipping towards the very poor level, with unabated stubble burning in the neighboring States and the authorities have “pulled up their socks” as they are ready with their plan to implement contingency measures. 

With national capital staring towards a toxic future, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is ready with its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) that requires implementation of stringent emergency measures to be taken depending upon the quality of air.

The GRAP requires measures like stopping garbage burning in landfill sites, strict compliance of pollution control regulation in industries including brick-kilns etc if air quality is “moderate” to “poor”. 

Moreover , further stringent measures are called for if the air quality descend to the “very poor” category, that requires  additional measures like stopping use of diesel generator sets, enhancing parking fees 3-4 times and increasing frequency of public means of transport that includes metro and buses.

Under  “severe” category, additional measures would be implemented that includes increasing frequency of mechanized cleaning of roads, sprinkling of water on roads and identifying road stretches with high dust generation.

If the air quality falls to severe plus emergency category, then measures like stopping entry of trucks into Delhi except those carrying essential commodities, stopping construction activities and appointment of task force to take decision on any additional steps will be implemented.

The measures depending upon the air quality will be implemented from Monday. Currently the air quality is in the poor category but authorities have predicted that it would reach the ‘very poor’ category in the next couple of days.

CPCB has also deployed 41 teams across the Delhi NCR to monitor proper implementation of norms enforced to prevent pollution at the source.