← 7 November 2026's Current Affairs · Environment GA Prelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆
GRAP Stage III curbs imposed across Delhi-NCR
Why in News?
Not the CPCB, not the NGT: who really triggers GRAP Stage III in Delhi-NCR? Prelims answer inside
CAQM invokes GRAP Stage III in Delhi-NCR as air turns severe.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
The Commission for Air Quality Management imposed Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR on 6 November 2026 as air quality worsened.
GRAP is a set of stage-wise emergency measures against air pollution.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- CAQM imposed GRAP Stage III across Delhi-NCR on 6 November 2026 as air quality turned severe.
- GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) is a set of stage-wise emergency measures against air pollution.
- CAQM stands for Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas, a statutory body set up in 2021.
- GRAP stages are linked to Air Quality Index (AQI) levels: Stage I (Poor), II (Very Poor), III (Severe), IV (Severe+).
- CPCB's AQI categories guide the stage triggers; CAQM, not CPCB, orders the invocation.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 created CAQM as a statutory body, replacing the EPCA.
- GRAP is an emergency, stage-wise action plan whose stages are invoked according to the Air Quality Index category of Delhi-NCR.
- The Central Pollution Control Board develops the National Air Quality Index, which is used as the basis for GRAP stage triggers.
- GRAP measures are invoked in NCR, covering Delhi and parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Mains
GS3 (Environment, pollution): Recurring severe winter air in Delhi-NCR exposes the limits of reactive, emergency measures like GRAP. The CAQM Act, 2021 and the graded plan provide the legal and policy framework, but implementation across multiple states remains uneven. The way forward lies in tackling sources year-round (stubble burning alternatives, transport, dust, industry), cleaner fuels and coordinated inter-state enforcement rather than relying on seasonal curbs.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Stage III curbs of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR are imposed by which body?
- Commission for Air Quality Management
- Central Pollution Control Board
- National Green Tribunal
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Show answer
Answer: A — Correct answer: Commission for Air Quality Management. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas invokes the stages of GRAP.
Convert this topic into marks
Today's 10-MCQ test · instant analysis · Powered by AdaptIQ