Delhi shrouded in thick smog, AQI remains ‘very poor': WFH, ban on old cars - Full list of new curbs effective today

Toxic haze enveloped Delhi-NCR on Thursday morning as fresh measures, in addition to the GRAP Stage 4 restrictions, were invoked on 18 December to curb pollution levels. As stricter anti-pollution measures take effect from today amid ‘severe’ Air Quality Index (AQI) readings at several locations, here is a look at what's allowed and what's not in the National Capital Region.

Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra announced on Wednesday that all government and private institutions in the city would operate in partial physical mode. He said that all government and private institutions must switch to work from home for 50% of staff from Thursday. He warned that action would be taken against offices failing to comply with the directive. However, this rule comes with some exceptions.

• This order excludes emergency and frontline workers. Individuals working in hospitals, the fire department, implementing air pollution control measures, public and private health services, transport and sanitation services and other essential services are exempt from the restrictions.
• During the Wednesday presser, Mishra announced that construction workers rendered unemployed by GRAP III restrictions on construction activities will be compensated with ₹10,000. Notably, GRAP III restrictions have been in place for the past 17 days.

“Similarly, workers will be awarded compensation for the days GRAP IV will remain in place. These benefits will be extended to workers registered with the government. The registration process is ongoing,” PTI quoted the labour minister.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced multiple additional restrictions after Delhi recorded an average AQI in the 'severe' category for three consecutive days.

On Thursday, Delhi registered an AQI of 358 at 7:00 am, which falls in the ‘very poor' category. Although this marks a significant improvement in air quality, several areas across the NCR continue to grapple with ‘severe’ AQI, including Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Vivek Vihar and Wazirpur, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Delhi government mandates PUC certificates: What are they?

• Announcing several checks in its fight against air pollution, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that vehicles without a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate would not be provided fuel at petrol pumps from Thursday. PUC certificates are issued after a vehicular emission check at authorised centres.

• Non-BS-VI compliant vehicles cannot enter the national capital. The restrictive measures follow the Supreme Court's modified order of 12 August, which exempted older vehicles from protection against coercive action, ending the protection for BS-III and below vehicles in the national capital.
• "Trucks carrying construction materials into Delhi have also been banned... I appeal to people coming from outside Delhi to bring vehicles that comply with Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission standards," ANI quoted Sirsa.

To enforce the additional restrictions, the Delhi Traffic Police and the transport department's enforcement teams will be deployed at petrol pumps and borders from Thursday.

• Sirsa on Tuesday said that when GRAP IV is effective, vehicles carrying any type of construction material will also be barred from entering Delhi.
• Delhi schools switched to hybrid mode from Monday, and the Directorate of Education (DoE) issued orders to shift all primary classes to online mode from Tuesday.