CAQM Revokes GRAP Stage-III: Delhi AQI Improves to 236

Syllabus: Environmental Pollution and Degradation

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Why in news?

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked Stage-III of GRAP in NCR following AQI improvement to 236 due to favourable winds. Stage-II and I restrictions continue.

⚛️Static Concepts

National Clean Air ProgrammeAir Quality IndexCommission for Air Quality Management Act 2021

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Prelims-Oriented Points

Delhi AQI dropped to 236 (Very Poor category) on 02.01.2026 from Stage-III trigger levels.
Stage-III was in place since 13.12.2025; revoked after IMD/IITM forecast predicted Poor to Very Poor AQI.
2025 recorded lowest PM10 (198 µg/m³) and PM2.5 (97 µg/m³) annual averages since 2018 (excluding COVID year 2020).
Construction sites with closure orders cannot resume without specific CAQM order.

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Examiner's Trap: GRAP is not a pollution control LAW but an action plan - the law is the CAQM Act 2021 under which CAQM operates.

Quick Data Points

AQI (02.01.2026): 236

PM10 (2025): 198 µg/m³

PM2.5 (2025): 97 µg/m³

Mains Value Addition

GS-3: Environmental Pollution - Air Quality Management

Graded Response: Stage-based restrictions balance public health with economic activity through calibrated measures.
Institutional Framework: CAQM provides unified statutory body for NCR air quality management replacing multiple agencies.
Long-term Trend: Consistent decline in annual PM averages suggests policy measures are showing gradual impact.

Source

Press Information Bureau (PIB)

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