New Delhi,  Keeping in view the fact that the Air Quality Index (AQI) has been showing an increasing trend for the last two days in Delhi-NCR, ongoing actions implemented under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will continue, officials said on Friday.

Wind conditions have not been very favourable and accordingly, dispersion of air pollutants has not been very effective in Delhi and surrounding areas in the last few days.

Officials said that there is a need to continue with the steps to prevent deterioration of air quality, considering the significant spike in Delhi's overall AQI from 260 to 346 in the last two days. Moreover, the north-westerly wind flow is also conducive to increase the impact of farm fires on the AQI of Delhi and surrounding areas.

The Sub-Committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) for invoking actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), after comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario and relevant aspects, has taken the decision that ongoing actions implemented under Stage III of the GRAP shall continue and it should not be withdrawn at this stage.

The Sub-Committee is closely watching the situation and will review the air quality scenario on a regular basis, said officials.