India’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached alarming highs prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to implement its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a tiered framework categorizing emergency restrictions into four stages determined by the AQI. Stage I restrictions correspond to ‘Very Poor’ AQI of 201 to 300, Stage II or ‘Poor’ AQI 301-400, Stage III ‘Severe’ 401-450, and Stage IV “Severe +” 450 and above.
AQI (1/13/2025): Manhattan 63, Chicago 22, Houston 47, Nehru Nagar, Delhi 309
GRAP Stage III procedures restrict cement, plaster/coatings, cutting, grinding and fixing of tiles & stones, water proofing, road construction, and other major repairs. GRAP Stage IV procedures additionally ban construction of public infrastructure (e.g., highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, telecommunications, etc.).
Sudhanshu Kumar, PhD (co-founder of environmental software and consulting company Envitrans) wrote “while GRAP has proven useful for managing high-pollution crises, it remains a reactive measure that falls short in tackling the root causes of the problem. A deeper, more effective solution requires shifting focus from merely responding to deteriorating air quality to proactive action based on predictive capabilities.
Former WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan told Health Policy Watch (01/07/2024) “There is a fair amount of data now on the adverse effects of poor air quality on not only respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], but also cardiovascular and neurological diseases, as well as an increase in metabolic disorders like diabetes mellitus”.
Dr. Swaminathan – a co-chair of Our Common Air (OCA) a commission launched by New Delhi’s Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and London’s Clean Air Fund (CAF) – also highlighted “The impact is particularly serious among pregnant women and young children, because it affects the growing organs of the fetus and young child and is likely to have permanent effects on physical and cognitive development”.
Pollution’s annual death toll is staggering, with over 9 million annually—far exceeding those caused by AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined, according to the World Bank. The COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored the intricate connections between environmental health, economic productivity, and public well-being. Tackling these issues requires a comprehensive approach, where HealthTech [and GreenTech] play a critical role in predictive modeling and data-driven solutions. We need innovative platforms to revolutionize air quality management and mitigate pollution’s immediate and long-term consequences.
India stands at a pivotal juncture. While GRAP provides a foundation for managing pollution episodes, a shift toward proactive, tech-enabled solutions can pave the way for a cleaner, healthier future. The stakes are high, and the time to act is now.