 "Delhi's air quality continues to be 'very poor' with the AQI at 343")
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 343 on Thursday morning, which falls under the "very poor" category, according to data provided by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)-India. The AQI in the national capital has been "very poor" for the fifth day in a row. According to SAFAR-India, the city's AQI has been in the "very poor" category since Sunday.
According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which reported air quality until 4 PM on November 1, the air quality index for Delhi stood at 364, which falls under the "Very Poor" category.
How is the air quality in the Delhi NCR region?
Air quality in the Delhi NCR region continues to be unhealthy, with most cities under the "poor" or "very poor" category. Air quality in Ghaziabad was reported to be poor, with an AQI index of 254. Greater Noida, on the other hand, had an AQI index value of 354 and fell under the "very poor category, according to CPCB data.
Gurugram had an air quality index value of 226, which is categorised as being "poor". Another Haryana district adjoining the national capital, Sonipat, had a "poor" AQI index value of 280. Bahadurgarh at 383, was also under the "very poor" category. Meerut recorded "poor" air quality with an index value of 200.
Regions with the worst air quality
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According to the CPCB data, air quality index values in three regions were reported under the "severe" category. This included Fatehabad, Hanumangarh, and Hisar, with AQI index values of 413, 414, and 404, respectively. Hanumangarh in Rajasthan recorded the worst air quality with an AQI index value touching 414. Silchar in Assam, on the other hand, had the best air quality with a "Good" rating and AQI index value of 24.
What is the Delhi government doing to curb pollution?
Environment Minister of Delhi, Gopal Rai said, "The entry of diesel buses into Delhi has been stopped from today as per the directions by CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management). A total of 18 teams have been formed for this… It is my request to the state governments to ply only CNG, electric or BS-VI buses from their depots so that passengers do not face any trouble."
In addition to this, the transport department of the Delhi government shared these guidelines with Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
What is Grap?
The Centre's Pollution Control Board (PCB) has devised a Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) to contain the situation of worsening pollution in the national capital. As the name suggests, it is a graded response measure which is employed depending on the severity of the air quality. It has four different sets of response stages.
Under Stage I, construction and demolition activities on a plot size of or above 500 square meters are prohibited. Restaurants and hotels are directed to stop using coal and firewood in tandoors. Moreover, the government has begun automated cleaning of the roads for dust management. It is brought into effect when AQI is "poor".
Under Stage II, the parking fees are hiked to penalise the usage of private vehicles. To encourage usage of public transport, the frequency of local buses and Metro is increased. It is initiated when AQI is "very poor".
Under Stage III, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are prohibited from entering Delhi-NCR, in addition to other measures. Moreover, all construction activities, except government projects, are stopped. The entry of commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi is prohibited in the capital. This stage is activated when AQI is "severe".
Under Stage IV, all construction and demolition activity, government or private, is completely banned. Online classes and provisions for remote work are made. The government starts this stage when the pollution levels are "severe-plus".
What is AQI?
The Air Quality Index is a tool for communicating air quality status to people. There are six AQI categories, namely good, satisfactory, moderately polluted, poor, very poor, and severe.
Each of these categories is decided based on the ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints). According to the AQI scale, the air quality check between 0 and 50 is "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 450 "severe".
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The department also said that starting July 1 next year, all buses entering Delhi from any city or town in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh shall only be electric, CNG, and BS-VI diesel vehicles.