16 April 2026·PIB

CAQM Invokes GRAP Stage-I in Delhi-NCR as Air Quality Deteriorates to 'Poor' Category

In this note

1. At a Glance

CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP invoked Stage-I (27-point action plan) across the entire NCR on 16 April 2026 after Delhi's daily average AQI hit 226 ('Poor', 201-300) [1][2].
Tests knowledge of the CAQM Act, 2021, the AQI classification of CPCB, and the graded, AQI-triggered regulatory mechanism for NCR air pollution governance.
High-yield for Prelims (AQI bands, GRAP stages, parent ministry) and Mains GS-III (Environment / Pollution / Federal coordination).

On 16 April 2026, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP invoked all Stage-I actions with immediate effect across NCR after Delhi's daily AQI deteriorated to 226 ('Poor') per the CPCB daily AQI Bulletin [1][user-excerpt].
The Sub-Committee acted on a comprehensive review of forecasts by IMD and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) [user-excerpt].
Unusual because Stage-I is normally a winter-season trigger; an April invocation signals off-season dust/heat-driven deterioration.

2016: GRAP first notified by MoEFCC, based on a Supreme Court-mandated framework (M.C. Mehta line of cases) [3].
2020 (Oct): CAQM Ordinance promulgated; lapsed and re-promulgated April 2021 [3].
2021 (Aug 13): Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 enacted; dissolved EPCA [3].
2024 (winter): GRAP schedule revised and made more stringent by CAQM [4].
April 2026: Stage-I invocation; later revoked when AQI improved [5][2].

Parent ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) [1].
Statutory base: CAQM Act, 2021 — replaces EPCA (Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority) [3].
Jurisdiction: NCR (Delhi + districts of Haryana, UP, Rajasthan) and adjoining areas of Punjab impacting NCR air quality [3].
AQI bands (CPCB): 0-50 Good; 51-100 Satisfactory; 101-200 Moderate; 201-300 Poor; 301-400 Very Poor; 401-500 Severe; >450 Severe+ [2][6].
GRAP stages:
Stage-I — Poor (201-300): 27-point action plan [2].
Stage-II — Very Poor (301-400).
Stage-III — Severe (401-450) [6].
Stage-IV — Severe+ (>450): 8-point plan [7].
Trigger basis: Delhi's daily average AQI + IMD/IITM forecast [user-excerpt].
Implementing data source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) daily AQI Bulletin [user-excerpt].

Environmental

Stage-I targets road & C&D dust, open burning, industrial emissions, overaged vehicles, brick kilns and hot-mix plants [2].
Preventive (not corrective) tier — kicks in before AQI worsens to Severe.

Legal / Constitutional

CAQM Act, 2021 gives statutory primacy over State Pollution Control Boards and overrides conflicting state directions in NCR airshed [3].
Backed by Article 21 (Right to clean air — M.C. Mehta jurisprudence) and Article 48A / 51A(g) [DPSP/FD].
Non-compliance: imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to ₹1 crore under the Act [3].

Administrative / Federal

Single airshed regulator solves the Delhi-Haryana-UP-Punjab coordination failure that EPCA could not overcome [3].
Sub-Committee on GRAP is the operational arm; chaired by CAQM Chairperson with members from CPCB, IMD, IITM, state pollution boards [user-excerpt].

Scientific / Technological

IITM Pune runs the SAFAR/Decision Support System (DSS) providing source-apportionment forecasts that feed GRAP triggers.
Forecast-led pre-emptive invocation introduced in 2022 GRAP revision (earlier was reactive).

16 Apr 2026: Stage-I invoked, AQI 226 [1].
Apr 2026 (subsequent): Stage-I revoked as Delhi AQI improved [5].
2025 (winter): Stage-III and Stage-IV invocations during November-December episodes [6][7].
2024: CAQM revised GRAP schedule — stricter thresholds, earlier preventive triggers [4].

CAQM is a statutory body, not a constitutional or executive body — created by the CAQM Act, 2021 [3].
CAQM replaced EPCA (which was constituted under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986) [3].
CPCB, not IMD, issues the daily AQI Bulletin [1].
AQI 201-300 = 'Poor' triggers GRAP Stage-I [2].
AQI >450 = 'Severe+' triggers GRAP Stage-IV [7].
GRAP is invoked by the Sub-Committee on GRAP of CAQM, not by Delhi government [1].
NCR + adjoining areas of Punjab are within CAQM's jurisdiction [3].
CAQM Act penalty: up to 5 years' imprisonment / ₹1 crore fine [3].
IITM Pune (under Ministry of Earth Sciences) provides AQ forecasting alongside IMD [user-excerpt].
GRAP was first notified in 2017 by MoEFCC following SC directions in M.C. Mehta [3].
27-point action plan corresponds to Stage-I; 8-point to Stage-IV [2][7].
Stage-I focuses on dust control, vehicular emissions, C&D activity — no ban on construction at this stage [2].

GS-III: Environment — Conservation, environmental pollution & degradation.
GS-II: Statutory bodies; centre-state coordination in airshed governance.
Probable stems:
"The CAQM Act, 2021 marks a paradigm shift from reactive to airshed-based pollution governance in NCR. Critically examine." (GS-III)
"Discuss whether the Graded Response Action Plan has succeeded as a federal mechanism to manage Delhi-NCR's air quality crisis." (GS-II/III)
"Air pollution governance in India remains episodic and Delhi-centric." Comment in the context of CAQM and GRAP. (GS-III)

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), 2019 — non-attainment cities, 40% PM reduction target by 2026.
CPCB & SPCBs — under Water Act 1974 and Air Act 1981.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 — parent umbrella legislation.
Stubble burning — Punjab/Haryana, ex-situ/in-situ management.
BS-VI norms & E-vehicles policy — transport-sector emissions.
SAFAR & IITM Pune — air quality forecasting.
Supreme Court — M.C. Mehta v. Union of India — judicial origins of GRAP.
WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines, 2021 — international benchmark.

CAQM is statutory, not constitutional; created by an Act of Parliament, not by notification.
GRAP is invoked by CAQM Sub-Committee, not by Delhi CM or LG.
AQI 201-300 = Poor, NOT 'Moderate'. Moderate is 101-200.
EPCA was under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986; CAQM is under its own 2021 Act — don't conflate.
IITM is under Ministry of Earth Sciences, not MoEFCC.
Stage-I does not impose construction ban or odd-even — those are Stage-III/IV measures.