Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category on Monday, November 2, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to invoke Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR) with immediate effect.

The national capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 324 at 4 pm, placing it in the very poor category. The deterioration followed a sharp increase in pollution levels over three days, with the AQI rising from 117 on October 31 to 261 on November 1 before crossing the 300 mark on Monday.

The CAQM attributed the worsening air quality to unfavourable meteorological conditions. Forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) also indicated that Delhi’s air quality could remain in the very poor category over the coming days.

What is GRAP Stage II and why has it been imposed?

The Graded Response Action Plan is a set of emergency measures designed to tackle worsening air pollution in Delhi-NCR. It has different stages based on the severity of air quality.

Under the AQI classification, readings between 301 and 400 fall in the very poor category. GRAP Stage II is applicable when air quality reaches this range.

With Delhi’s AQI climbing to 324, the CAQM directed authorities to implement Stage II measures across the NCR. The directions also require agencies to continue implementing measures under the earlier stages of GRAP.

What restrictions come under GRAP Stage II?

The second stage of GRAP focuses on strengthening pollution-control measures, particularly those related to road dust, vehicular emissions and other sources of pollution.

Some of the important measures include:

• Road cleaning: Authorities are required to intensify mechanical sweeping of roads and water sprinkling to control dust.
• Traffic management: Traffic police are directed to manage congestion at busy roads and intersections.
• Vehicle checks: Enforcement teams are required to intensify checks for valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates and take action against visibly polluting vehicles.
• Parking charges: Higher parking fees are among the measures intended to discourage the use of private vehicles.
• Diesel generators: The use of diesel generator sets is subject to stricter regulation.
• Public transport: Authorities are required to encourage the use of public transport to reduce vehicular emissions.

These measures are intended to reduce pollution levels across Delhi-NCR.

Delhi’s AQI worsens over three days

Delhi witnessed a significant deterioration in air quality over a short period.

The AQI stood at 117 on October 31, placing it in the moderate category. It subsequently increased to 261 on November 1, entering the poor category.

On November 2, the reading climbed further to 324 by 4 pm, pushing the national capital into the very poor category.

The situation was also reflected in readings from individual monitoring stations. Several locations recorded AQI levels above 300.

Among the areas reporting high pollution levels were RK Puram, ITO, Akshardham, India Gate, Alipur, Dwarka Sector 8 and Delhi University’s North Campus.

With pollution levels worsening and unfavourable weather conditions expected to persist, authorities have been directed to strengthen enforcement of the prescribed pollution-control measures across the region.

The Supreme Court on Monday permitted the use of certified green firecrackers across Delhi-NCR for two days ahead of and on Diwali, offering a temporary relaxation of the existing restrictions on fireworks.

Under the court’s directions, green firecrackers can be burst on November 7 and 8, between 6 am and 7 am and again from 8 pm to 10 pm. The complete ban on firecrackers will be restored from November 9, the court said.

The decision comes ahead of Diwali, which falls on November 8 this year. The relaxation is subject to several conditions governing the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers.

The court also noted that it had not been provided with adequate data to determine whether a complete ban was the most effective solution to Delhi-NCR’s annual air pollution problem. It observed that there had been no significant improvement in Air Quality Index (AQI) readings despite the firecracker ban imposed in 2024.

Supreme Court sets restrictions on firecracker use

The Supreme Court has prohibited the bursting of firecrackers within a 300-metre radius of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, old-age homes and notified silence zones.

Educational institutions will also fall under this restriction.

These locations will be designated as ‘No-Cracker Zones’, with authorities directed to mark their boundaries on the ground and publicise the restrictions.

The court has also directed authorities to ensure that the permitted time slots are followed during the two days.

Strict conditions for green cracker sales

The Supreme Court has laid down specific conditions for manufacturers and traders to prevent conventional firecrackers from being sold in the name of green crackers.

Only manufacturers holding valid certifications from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) will be permitted to manufacture approved green crackers during the specified period.

The manufacture and sale of firecrackers joined in series, commonly known as ‘ladis’ and garlands, have been prohibited.

Firecrackers containing barium and those not approved by CSIR-NEERI as green crackers will also not be permitted.

The court has further directed that green crackers must be sold in sealed boxes to prevent conventional or unauthorised firecrackers from being mixed with approved products.

Each box must carry a product-specific QR code linked to the particular product and batch. Scanning the code should provide details of the manufacturer, NEERI registration, PESO or District Magistrate licence, formulation and test certificate.

Online sale prohibited, designated locations identified

The Supreme Court has directed District Collectors and Commissioners across the National Capital Region to identify designated locations for the sale of green firecrackers in consultation with the respective Superintendents of Police.

The sale of firecrackers at any other location, including through online platforms, has been prohibited.

Authorities have also been directed to display banners at designated shops and sale locations explaining how consumers can identify CSIR-NEERI-approved green crackers.

The court has asked authorities to check vehicles entering Delhi-NCR to prevent the transportation of illegal and conventional firecrackers.

It has also directed police and district administration officials to conduct inspections, verify QR codes and confiscate unauthorised firecrackers.

What are green crackers?

Green crackers are developed by CSIR-NEERI and are designed to produce around 30 per cent less pollution than conventional firecrackers.

They contain reduced quantities of certain chemicals, including barium and aluminium, and incorporate additives intended to suppress dust and smoke emissions.

These crackers are also designed to produce less noise, burn for shorter durations and release controlled flames.

Complete firecracker ban to return on November 9

The Supreme Court has clarified that the relaxation is temporary and that the complete ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR will be restored from November 9.

The court has also directed manufacturers and traders to furnish monetary security. The security deposit will be forfeited in case of violations of its directions.

The measures are aimed at regulating the use and sale of firecrackers during Diwali while addressing concerns over air pollution in the National Capital Region.

Fresh violence has erupted in Manipur after five Kuki men were killed in two separate incidents in Kangpokpi and Noney districts. The recovery of two missing men’s bodies in Kangpokpi on Sunday triggered protests and clashes between demonstrators and security forces, further escalating tensions in the region.

The two incidents took place on Saturday and Sunday. While three men were killed in a reported exchange of gunfire between two unidentified armed groups in Noney district on Saturday, the bodies of two missing men were recovered during a joint security operation in Kangpokpi on Sunday.

Two missing Kuki men found dead in Kangpokpi

The two deceased men were identified as Paoginlal Hangsing and Tinginlun Chongloi, both aged 20. They had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on October 28.

Their disappearance had prompted the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, to announce a shutdown across Kangpokpi district.

According to the Manipur Police Control Room, multiple search operations were launched after the two men went missing.

On Sunday, a joint team comprising Manipur Police, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Assam Rifles and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) conducted an extensive search operation in the area east of National Highway-2 along the SP Road.

The operation resulted in the recovery of two bodies. Official sources subsequently confirmed that they belonged to the missing men.

The bodies were initially taken to Kangpokpi District Hospital, where large crowds gathered after their deaths were confirmed.

Protests and clashes erupt in Kangpokpi

The recovery of the bodies triggered protests and clashes in Kangpokpi, prompting security forces to step up efforts to control the situation.

As tensions escalated, police shifted the bodies to the Superintendent of Police’s office in Kangpokpi. Demonstrators continued their protest, following which security personnel fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowds.

Protesters also blocked National Highway-2, while shops, business establishments and private institutions across the district remained closed as part of the shutdown called by CoTU.

The organisation subsequently announced that it would not claim the bodies of the two men until the government fulfilled its demands, including the immediate removal of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho.

CoTU spokesperson Ng Lun Kipgen said the shutdown had been extended by another 24 hours on Saturday in the hope that Dikho would intervene with people in Senapati district to secure the safe release of the two missing Kuki-Zo youths.

However, the two men were later found dead.

Three Kuki men killed in separate Noney incident

In a separate incident on Saturday, three Kuki men were killed in a reported exchange of gunfire between two unidentified armed groups at Kekru Naga village in Manipur’s Noney district.

The village falls under Nungba Police Station and is located approximately eight kilometres from the police station.

The deceased were identified as Thanglensang Singson, Thangkhosei Haokip and Lamminsang Kipgen.

Thanglensang Singson originally belonged to Maojang village and was residing at Tuinom in Thanlon subdivision of Churachandpur district.

Thangkhosei Haokip was a resident of Thinghibung village in Henglep subdivision of Churachandpur district, while Lamminsang Kipgen hailed from Phaibong village in the same subdivision.

Local sources said tensions had been building in the surrounding areas for several days before the fatal incident. However, the specific circumstances that led to the exchange of gunfire remain unclear.

Kuki tribal body alleges involvement of armed groups

Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki tribes, condemned the killings and alleged that cadres of the NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) were responsible.

The organisation also alleged that the bodies of the deceased had been desecrated. It accused the authorities of failing to provide adequate security to vulnerable Kuki-Zo settlements in Noney district and demanded accountability and immediate measures to protect civilians.

However, the allegations against NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) have not been independently verified. Police have not identified those responsible for the killings.

Police said necessary legal formalities and other procedures were underway. Search and combing operations would continue to identify and apprehend those responsible.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two missing men in Kangpokpi and the three killings in Noney remain under investigation.