Gurugram has emerged as the most polluted city in the world in 2018,

according to a new report. The report, compiled and analysed by IQ

AirVisual, a software company that tracks pollution worldwide, and
environmental NGO Greenpeace, found that the city had received highest
annual concentration of PM 2.5 in 2018.

Reasons :

The air quality in this region is problematic due to accumulation of dust

from neighbouring areas and poor ventilation index that does not allow
proper dispersion of pollution.
The city receives a lot of transported dust from the north-west and west.
Additionally, ground-level emission problems are severe in Gurugram

 Officials attributed the sudden deterioration in the air quality to a change in wind
direction, which is now blowing from the northwestern region towards Delhi and
bringing dust and smoke from stubble burning in neighbouring states with it. stubble
burning is contributing nearly 24 per cent of the air pollution

Steps by GOVT :

Graded Response Action Plan (Grap)

A Graded Response Action Plan is a set of stratified actions that are taken once the pollution level
reaches a certain specified limit. The Supreme Court had mandated the Environmental Pollution
Control Authority (EPCA) to come up with such a plan. The Union Environment Ministry has recently
announced this plan for Delhi and National Capital Region.

When the concentration reaches a certain limit say, 100 micrograms per cubic metre of Particulate
Matter, several steps to control pollution has to start, like water sprinkling on the roads, sweeping
roads more often, etc. When the pollutant concentration reaches a little higher level, there can be a
ban imposed on firecrackers, and other fuel use, etc.

It is called a ‘graded’ plan because it does its function step by step. There are separate tasks for
separate pollution concentration levels. In this way, gradually, pollution control is done. But it is not
 the role of any one specific department. It is a task of several departments coordinated together. The
main objective of the plan is to avoid strict pollution control measures all of a sudden and respond to
the problem gradually.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram stated that it had pressed four

sweeping machines into service to take dust off the city’s roads and has
imposed stiff fines on people found burning garbage in the open. This was
done in accordance with measures recommended under the Graded
Response Action Plan (GRAP) .

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stated that it has cast green-
coloured tarpaulin sheets at all its construction sites at Iffco Chowk, Rajiv
Chowk and Signature Tower to prevent the spread of loose dust.

NHAI also deployed seven tankers to sprinkle water on the highly polluted
arterial roads in the city.

Central Govt has given a financial aid of over Rs 550 crore for farmers who are
indulging in stubble burning

 An aggressive ten-day-long 'Clean Air Campaign' has been launched to monitor and report
polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action.
 Other measures include a halt on all construction activities involving
excavation
 Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts,
besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust
pollution
 A penalty of over Rs 83 lakh was imposed on violators on a single day on
November 4, 2018, by the teams deployed to monitor implementation of
measures to combat pollution in the Delhi NCR under the Clean Air Campaign
 Based on 368 complaints, a total fine of Rs 83,55,000 was imposed on Sunday
itself by 52 teams in the national capital, said the Central Pollution Control
Board
 The highest number of complaints were related to illegal construction and
demolition activities
 Other complaints included that of vehicular emission, traffic congestion,
industrial emission, open or garbage burning, leaf burning, road dust, unpaved
road, fire in landfill sites, air pollution from generators among others
  The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed
the transport department and the traffic police to intensify checking of
polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during
November 1-10
 Around 110 vehicles have been deployed to sprinkle water on the roads and 12
mechanical dust sweeping machines have been pressed into action
