Residents urge CAQM to bring small construction sites under GRAP as dust, demolition choke colonies

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a set of emergency measures to control severe air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.

Residents and activists have asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to include construction sites under 500 sqm in all phases of the graded response action plan (GRAP), adding that the demolition and construction of small plots leads to the neighbourhood being covered in dust leading to deteriorating public health.

. The group said small houses are being demolished without dust barriers or safeguards, turning residential lanes into “dust bowls.”

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a set of emergency measures to control severe air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region and is implemented in phases — Stage I (poor), Stage II (very poor), Stage III (severe), and Stage IV (severe+) — with progressively stricter measures to tackle rising levels of air pollution.

In a petition filed on Monday backed with videos and photographs, CleanAirBharat,a residents forum said the S+4 builder policy which is recently been allowed has worsened conditions in lived-in colonies. The group said small houses are being demolished without dust barriers or safeguards, turning residential lanes into “dust bowls.” The impact, they noted, is not reflected in Gurugram’s Air Quality Index (AQI) because three of the city’s four monitors are placed in non-residential areas of Gurugram. Families, seniors, and children remain exposed to pollution that official readings do not capture.

Under existing rules, construction and demolition (C&D) activities on plots below 500 sqm are exempt from many mandatory dust-control norms, creating a regulatory gap that leaves smaller sites in residential colonies largely outside the ambit of strict monitoring and enforcement.

“Construction in colonies is happening right next to homes, schools and clinics. The emissions and dust are choking residents. Babies and seniors are at the highest risk,” said Ruchika Sethi Takkar of CleanAirBharat.

The group has demanded that district authorities, municipal corporations and state pollution boards be held accountable for enforcing Nation Green Tribunal (NGT) dust-control norms, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) material-handling guidelines and C&D waste rules for all builders, regardless of plot size.

Residents described how unchecked work is disrupting daily life. “Encroachment of footpaths for storing material, heavy diesel machinery working late nights and dusty offloading on narrow roads make breathing impossible,” said Mohit Gupta, a Sector 14 resident. He called for sprinklers at sites, roof-level DG exhausts, fixed construction hours and a dedicated digital platform where citizens can upload photos and videos of violations. Gupta also warned that relying solely on RWAs for enforcement would not work, arguing that an independent complaint system is necessary.

CAQM officials said they have directed CPCB officials to take needful action and contact the complainant for more information on the subject on Monday.

On the other hand, CPCB officials have directed MCG officials to take action against the complaint received at CPCB and update action taken with reference to the Complaint.

MCG officials said enforcement has already been stepped up. “Teams have been instructed to visit the spot, assess violations and carry out remedial action without delay. Strict enforcement against violators will follow, and residents will be kept informed of progress,” said a senior official.

Experts reviewing the petition said the measures could significantly reduce particulate matter if implemented. They added that containment at construction sites, mandatory dust suppression and retrofitting heavy equipment would ease the health burden caused by air pollution in residential areas.