Delhi govt bans BS3 petrol, BS4 diesel vehicles as air quality deteriorates

New Delhi [India], December 6 (ANI): The Transport department of the Delhi government imposed a ban on the plying of BS-3 Petrol and BS- 4 Diesel LMVs (4-wheelers) in Delhi-NCR till December 9 with immediate effect.
The restrictions came in the wake of the restrictions imposed by the air quality panel under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Earlier on Sunday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a Union government panel recommending steps to control air pollution in the national capital, announced a temporary ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR.
The announcement came after the air quality in Delhi and the national capital region worsened again, breaching the 'severe' category.
"As per the directions as provided under Stage III of the revised GRAP and under section 115 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, it is hereby ordered that there shall be restrictions to ply BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs (four-wheelers) in NCT of Delhi with immediate effect till December 9 or till downward revision in GRAP stage, whichever is earlier," read an order issued by the transport department.
The ban will not apply to the vehicles used for government, electoral, and emergency services operations.
"If any BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMV (4 wheeler) found plying on the roads, will be prosecuted under section 194 of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 which provides with a fine of Rs 20,000," read the transport department order.
Meanwhile, The CAQM, which on Sunday chaired a meeting to review the air quality in Delhi-NCR, put out a release saying, "As the AQI in Delhi has slipped into 'severe' category, the sub-committee had decided that all actions, as envisaged under Stage III of the GRAP, be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned, with immediate effect in the NCR, in addition to all action under Stage I and Stage II of the GRAP."
The panel further observed that the air quality saw a further deterioration over the last 24 hours, with Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 407 on December 4, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
In its order, the CAQM says it temporarily banned construction activities, "with the exception of Metro Rail services, including stations; airport and inter-state bus terminals; railway services/stations; national security/defence-related activities/ projects of national importance; hospitals/healthcare facilities; linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines; sanitation projects like sewage treatment plants and water supply projects; ancillary activities specific to and supplementing above categories of projects".
Milk and dairy units and those involved in the manufacturing of life-saving medical equipment, drugs and medicines, were also exempted from the restrictions stipulated in the CAQM order.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor' and 401 and 500 'severe'. (ANI)