Delhi's AQI in 'severe' category, Gopal Rai urges Centre to convene meeting

Pollution levels in the national capital and its surrounding areas remained in the severe category. Delhi's air quality index (AQI) deteriorated from 415 at 4 pm on Saturday to 460 at 7 am on Sunday.

 

However, the concentration of poisonous PM2.5 was still more than 80 times the healthy limit prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

 

Friday's 24-hour average AQI (468) was the worst since the previous high of 471 recorded on November 12, 2021.

 

On Saturday, a thick toxic haze lingered over the city for the fifth consecutive day, with doctors expressing concerns that air pollution is causing increased respiratory and eye problems among children and the elderly.

 

The concentration of PM2.5, fine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems, exceeded the government-prescribed safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by seven to eight times at multiple locations throughout Delhi-NCR.

 

It was 80 to 100 times the healthy limit (5 micrograms per cubic metre) set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

The air quality in Delhi-NCR declined over the past week due to a gradual drop in temperatures, calm winds that trap pollution, and a surge in post-harvest paddy straw burning across Punjab and Haryana.

 

According to the data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's AQI increased by more than 200 points between October 27 and November 3, culminating in a descent into the "severe plus" category (above 450) on Friday.

 

Delhi air pollution today: How is the air quality in the NCR region?

 

In most cities around Delhi, the AQI was in the "severe" category. Faridabad's AQI was 438 and 408 in Noida. Sonipat's AQI also dipped to the 'severe' category at 416. Greater Noida's AQI was 490. Gurugram also joined the list of cities as the AQI dipped to the 'severe' category at 404.

 

What is the Delhi government doing to curb pollution?

 

Invoking stage III of the pollution control plan, deploying anti-smog guns, and re-launching the 'Red light on, Gaadi off' campaign are among the measures taken by the Delhi government and other agencies with the city's air quality entering the 'severe' category, officials said.

 

According to a Delhi government official, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage 3 has been implemented in the national capital with a complete ban on construction or demolition activities.

 

The Centre's pollution control panel invoked the GRAP III on Thursday, halting non-essential construction work, stone crushing, and mining in Delhi-NCR. Under this stage, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.

 

The Delhi administration, which has stepped up measures to tackle the pollution menace, has deployed anti-smog guns in several places such as Anand Vihar, Kashmiri Gate ISBT, ITO, Pusa Road, Jahangirpuri, Narela Industrial area, and Burari Crossing, officials said.

 

The Delhi government launched the 'Red light on, Gaadi off' campaign on October 28 to make commuters and motorists aware of the growing pollution and encourage them to switch off their vehicles while waiting for the traffic light to turn green. It was re-launched a year after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena put it on hold, questioning its effectiveness.

 

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai wrote a letter to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, requesting him to ban the entry of vehicles non-compliant with BS-VI norms into Delhi from neighbouring states in Delhi-NCR.

 

He also requested to convene an emergency meeting of neighbouring states' Environment Ministers.

 

Gopal Rai said, "Looking at the rise in the level of pollution in the last two days, construction has been banned in Delhi from yesterday. Today there has been an improvement in the level of pollution as compared to yesterday. The situation is still serious. I am writing a letter to the Central Government saying that the Union Environment Minister should call an emergency meeting of the Environment Ministers of all five states immediately. Because the orders of CAQM are not being implemented in the states. Rules are being made, and CAQM is giving directions, but in the whole NCR, rules are being violated. This is the problem of the whole of North India. "

 

What is AQI?

 

The air quality index shows the air quality status of 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".

 

What is Grap?

 

The Centre's Pollution Control Board (PCB) has devised a Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) to contain worsening pollution in the national capital. As the name suggests, it is a graded response measure 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". Currently, this stage has been imposed in the national capital.

 

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".

 

(With agency inputs)