Delhi's overall air quality 'very poor' at 374, to dip more in coming days

Delhi's overall air quality was recorded in "very poor" category at an AQI of 374 on Saturday.

However, on Mathura Road in Delhi, the air quality was severe aat an AQI of 513, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

The AQI at Pusa was recorded at 365, Lodhi Road 364, Dhirpur 385 and Ayanagar 357, all "very poor category".

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good"; 51 and 100 "satisfactory"; 101 and 200 "moderate"; 201 and 300 "poor"; 301 and 400 "very poor"; and 401 and 500 "severe".

Experts said that the AQI may dip to a severe category in coming days.

According to a forecast from the SAFAR, the air quality of the city will deteriorate further to the "very poor" category reaching 382 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, with the deteriorating AQI of the city, the city government has again imposed Stage-III of GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) and banned construction works in the entire NCR except for Railways, Delhi Metro and some other departments.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has ordered to reinforce strict ban on construction and demolition activities in the entire NCR and a nine-point action plan as per Stage-III of GRAP became applicable with immediate effect from Friday.

This is in addition to the preventive and restrictive actions under Stage-I and Stage-II of GRAP, which are already in place.

Delhi's overall AQI spiked to 438 on Friday, as per the AQI bulletin provided by the CPCB.

The nine-point action plan includes steps to be implemented and ensured by different agencies and the pollution control boards of NCR, including the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

This includes intensified frequency of mechanised and vacuum-based sweeping of roads, daily water sprinkling along with use of dust suppressants before peak traffic hours.

The agencies must check the hotspots on roads and right ways, including the heavy traffic corridors.

--IANS

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