Gurugram to Implement GRAP Rules from October 1 to Check Pollution, Says Senior Civic Official

Gurugram will implement the GRAP mechanism from October 1 to control environmental pollution in Delhi-NCR, a senior civic official said on Monday.

Pollution-causing activities will be banned and action taken against violators under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the official said.

Responsibilities have been assigned to different officers to ensure compliance with the GRAP rules in areas under the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram and orders issued by the civic body’s environment and sustainability branch, he added.

The GRAP mechanism will be implemented in four phases, the official added.

The first phase will be implemented when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is between 201 and 300. Sites with more than 500-square metre plot area will have to be registered on a web portal, according to the guidelines issued for construction and demolition activities, said the official.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ’good’, 51 and 100 ’satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ’moderate’, 201 and 300 ’poor’, 301 and 400 ’very poor’, and 401 and 500 ’severe’.

In the first phase, officials will ensure the collection of construction and demolition and solid waste. Under GRAP rules, vehicles carrying construction and demolition material and waste will be required to be covered, the senior civic official said.

Anti-smog guns will be installed and compliance ensured at construction and demolition sites. There is a ban on burning any kind of waste in the municipal corporation area. There will also be a ban on the use of coal and wood in tandoors, he said.

The second phase — to be implemented when the AQI is between 301 and 400 — will witness the introduction of an additional ban on the use of generators. Only generators running on liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, biogas, propane and butane can be used.

New power generator sets of 800 kW capacity — meeting the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s standards — and those of 125-800 kW capacities and retro-fitted with emission control devices with dual-fuel mode can be used.

In the third phase, when the AQI is between 401 and 450, all construction and demolition activities, except a few projects, will be prohibited.

The exempted projects will have to ensure compliance with construction and demolition waste management rules and dust control norms, the senior official said.

In the fourth phase, to be implemented when the AQI crosses 450, all construction and demolition activities will be banned.

Arrangements will be made to prevent dust particles from floating in the air and action taken against violators, said the senior official.