Amid rising pollution levels in the national capital, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday decided to invoke Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the entire NCR with immediate effect. 

The Stage IV GRAP is the highest level of pollution alert issued when the Air Quality Index (AQI) remains above 450 or in the "severe plus" category. Under the 8-point action plan as per Stage-IV of GRAP,  the entry of trucks into the national capital has been banned except for those carrying essential commodities and providing essential services and all LNG/ CNG/ electric trucks.

The government has banned non-essential construction activities in the national capital including public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, and pipelines. 

The Delhi government may decide to discontinue physical classes for students from classes six to nine and class eleven and would ask them to conduct classes online mode. The government will also decide whether to allow 50 per cent of employees in public, municipal, and private offices to work from home. 

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Various parts of Delhi-NCR have been witnessing a thick layer of toxic smog as the air quality deteriorated to the ‘severe plus’ category. The real-time AQI was recorded over 500 in many parts of the city. 
Earlier on Thursday, the Delhi government announced the closure of all government and private primary schools in the national capital for the next two days amid an alarming surge in air pollution levels. It has also restricted boring and drilling activities as well as earthwork for excavation to reduce air pollution. 

The government is also working to increase the frequency of water sprinkling and mechanised sweeping of roads along with dust suppressants.