Delhi's air quality remained "severe" for a second consecutive day, prompting the central pollution watchdog to invoke restrictions under the third stage of GRAP, including a ban on construction activities and plying vehicles on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles in the city and NCR.

The restrictions will come into force at 8 am on Friday. The Delhi government also announced that due to the alarming levels of pollution, physical classes for primary schools will not be held till further orders, but online classes can continue.

The city's 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 424, up from 418 the previous day.

Out of Delhi’s 39 monitoring stations, 27 reported air quality in the "severe" category. These stations include Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Aya Nagar, Bawana, Dwarka Sector 8, IGI Airport, ITO, Jahangirpuri, Mandir Marg, Mundka, Najafgarh, Narela, Nehru Nagar, North Campus, Patparganj and Punjabi Bagh.

In an order, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said that the Delhi government and NCR states will impose strict restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel (four-wheelers) in the national capital and neighbouring Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. Any violation will attract a fine of Rs 20,000.

Under the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), all inter-state buses from NCR states -- except electric vehicles, CNG vehicles and BS-VI diesel buses -- will be prohibited from entering Delhi, alongside a stringent ban on construction and demolition activities, mining-related activities are suspended, water is sprinkled on major roads daily and students upto class 5 can be considered for online classes.

The CAQM, however, said that construction-related activities, which are relatively less polluting and less dust-generating, will be permitted in the NCR, subject to strict compliance with the C&D Waste Management Rules.

"GNCTD (Delhi government) will impose strict restrictions on plying of Delhi-registered diesel operated Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs), of BS-III standards or below, in Delhi, except those carrying essential commodities/providing essential services," the order stated.

The GRAP for Delhi-NCR is divided into four stages of air quality -- Stage 1 for "poor" Air Quality Index (AQI) ranging between 201 and 300, Stage 2 for "very poor" AQI of 301-400, Stage 3 for "severe" AQI of 401-450 and Stage 4 for "severe plus" AQI (more than 450).

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said that in view of the implementation of GRAP-III, 20 extra trips (in addition to 40 already in place since GRAP-II was implemented) will be inducted into services on weekdays, starting Friday, and added that thus.

The air quality in the national capital had been in the "very poor" category since October 30 and the city recorded the first severe air quality of this season on Wednesday.

According to the Centre’s Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, vehicular emissions were the top contributor to Delhi’s pollution, accounting for approximately 12.2 per cent of the total.

Apart from vehicular pollution, another major source of Delhi’s air pollution is stubble burning. Data showed that on Thursday, a total of five farm fires were reported in Punjab, 11 in Haryana, and the highest number, 202, in Uttar Pradesh, according to satellite data shared by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).

The prominent pollutant, according to the CPCB, was PM2.5 which refers to fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, about the width of a human hair.

These particles are so small that they can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, posing significant health risks.

Meanwhile, several schools in the city have limited outdoor activities for students in the wake of rising levels of pollution.

Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL School in Dwarka, said that all outdoor activities have been suspended in the school and morning events prior to 10 am have been cancelled. Additionally, wearing masks has been mandated for all students, he said.

Aprajhita Gautam, president of the Delhi Parents Association, said, "Due to the alarming levels of air pollution, we want schools to be closed to safeguard our children's health."

On Thursday, a political blame game erupted over the deteriorating levels of pollution. The BJP lashed out at Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai and demanded his resignation saying the air quality in the city is moving towards hazardous levels.

Rai hit back and accused the BJP-led governments in the neighbouring states of doing nothing to prevent air pollution.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, in a statement, assailed Rai calling him an "unsuccessful" environment minister. Delhiites want him to step down, he said.

"Due to the Atishi government's inaction, the pollution situation in Delhi is now worse than in surrounding areas, with the AQI even in clean areas like Rajpath exceeding 450," he claimed.

Had the Delhi chief minister and her environment minister discussed the crop stubble problem with the AAP-ruled Punjab and put a check on it, the pollution levels not only in Delhi but across north India would be under control, said Sachdeva.

"If excessive smoke from stubble burning in Punjab were not there, Delhi would not suffocate now," he added.

After season's coldest night, Delhi wakes up to another day with toxic air

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