Diwali Air Pollution

SC raps Delhi govt over pollution; says firecracker ban hardly implemented

The Supreme Court has demanded explanations from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Delhi police regarding the failure to enforce the ban

Delhi govt seizes over 19k kg of firecrackers, files 79 cases before Diwali

Earlier on Monday, Gopal Rai launched the 'Diya Jalao, Patake Nahi' campaign, urging the public to avoid firecrackers to keep pollution in check

Diwali fireworks and air pollution: How to protect your respiratory health

Pollutants emitted by crackers may last in the air for day, troubling people with respiratory issues

Air pollution rises as Delhi readies for Diwali, experts warn residents

Delhi air pollution falls in the 'very poor' category ahead of Diwali which is a major cause of concern. Here are the precautions to minimise air pollution during Diwali

Delhi's air quality slips into 'severe category', relief unlikely

In Dwarka Sector 8, AQI stood at 403. AQI in Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium was recorded at 404

Air pollution in Delhi nears 'severe' category again, relief unlikely soon

Air pollution in Delhi neared the "severe" category again amid unfavourable meteorological conditions on Tuesday and a relief is unlikely soon. The capital's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm everyday, stood at 397, worsening from 358 on Monday and 218 on Sunday. Air pollution levels hit the severe category (AQI above 400) at many places within the city, including ITO (427), RK Puram (422), Punjabi Bagh (423), Nehru Nagar (450), Anand Vihar (439) and Nehru Nagar (450). Neighbouring Ghaziabad (356), Gurugram (386), Greater Noida (348), Noida (364) and Faridabad (384) also recorded very poor air quality. Squandering the relief due to rain, Delhi recorded a jump in pollution levels and a smoky haze returned on Monday after people flouted the ban on firecrackers on Diwali night. According to IQAir, a Swiss company that specialises in air quality monitoring, Delhi was the most polluted city in the world on Tuesday, followed by Dhaka Lahore and Mumbai. Delhi rec

Delhi Fire Service recieves 100 fire incident-related calls on Diwali

The Delhi Fire Service received 100 calls of fire-related incidents on the evening of Diwali, officials said here. These calls were recorded between 6 pm and 10.45 pm on Sunday, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) chief Atul Garg said. "The total number of small, medium and major fire-related incident calls is 100 from 6 pm to 10.45 pm," he said, adding that his department was prepared to help. Officials said the Delhi Police was also on alert and helping fire personnel. The firecracker ban was violated in several areas of Delhi as the city celebrated Diwali. Last week, the Supreme Court said its order banning firecrackers containing barium binds every state and is not just limited to the Delhi-NCR region, which is reeling under severe air pollution. Although Delhi recorded its best air quality on Diwali day in eight years, pollution levels were expected to rise due to the burning of firecrackers and low night temperatures.

Delhi Fire Services starts spraying water to curb severe air pollution

Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg said, "From this morning we have started spraying water. We have identified 13 hotspots, and our main focus will be on them..."

Delhi LG holds meeting on air pollution, departments to issue advisories

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena held a meeting with Environment Minister Gopal Rai amid severe air pollution in the city on Friday, in which a decision was taken to appeal neighbouring states, particularly Punjab, to check paddy stubble burning. The meeting also decided to adopt interim measures such as issuing advisories by the Environment department asking people, especially children and the elderly, to take extra care and remain indoors as far as possible, preparedness by the Health department and optimal use of mechanised road sweepers, water sprinklers and anti-smog guns. The meeting chaired by the LG could not be attended by the chief minister who was out of Delhi, according to a Raj Niwas statement. After the meeting, Rai told reporters that he urged the LG for issuing directions to senior officers to not "boycott" the government and attend meetings and remain cooperative and active for implementation of the decisions on the ground. "I also urged for action against the

Construction ban: Credai asks members to take anti-pollution measures

Amid a ban on non-essential construction in Delhi-NCR due to pollution, real estate developers' body Naredco on Friday extended support to the government but flagged concerns over delay in completing projects while builders' association Credai asked members to take anti-pollution measures at sites. Naredco National President G Hari Babu said pollution concerns everyone and conscious corporate, real estate developers are actively taking measures to curb the menace. The fraternity is with the government in fighting this menace, he said. "But we should understand that stopping construction for one month delays the project by at least three months. Besides, it also impacts livelihood. Since the sector is one of the largest employers of unskilled labour in the country, the ramifications are huge," Babu said in a statement. "Further, the developers also have obligations to financial institutions and to its customers for timely delivery, which, in case of delay leads to extra monetary bur

New Haryana rules on stone crusher units may blunt the war on air pollution

Easing of proximity norms will not only impact air and water quality but could also turn vast tracts of farm land barred, say experts

Delhi's air emergency: 50% govt staff to WFH; schools shut from Nov 5

Alarmed by hazardous pollution levels in Delhi, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday ordered 50 per cent staff of the Delhi government to work from home and said an advisory will be issued to private offices to follow suit. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said primary schools will be closed from Saturday in a bid to protect children from the effects of worsening air quality. At a press conference, Rai said schools will be asked to curtail outdoor activities of senior students. He said the Delhi government has decided to implement the anti-pollution curbs recommended by the Commission for Air Quality Management, including a ban on non-BS VI diesel-run light motor vehicles. "At a meeting with departments concerned, it has been decided that 50 per cent staff of government offices will work from home from Monday and an advisory will be issued to private offices to follow suit," Rai said. In a bid to ramp up public transport, the government will also launch ...

TMS Ep290: CCI fines Google, Delhi air pollution, markets, 'dirty' bomb

Why does Google find itself in CCI's crosshairs? Why was this Diwali in Delhi the cleanest in years? Will the primary market suck out secondary market liquidity? What is a 'dirty' bomb? Answers here

Why was this Diwali in Delhi the cleanest in years?

In Delhi and NCR, cracker ban went up into smoke this Diwali. But, the air quality around this time was cleanest in the last seven years. So what changed this time? Let's find out

Post-Diwali air quality better than 2021 in several cities, shows CPCB data

Delhi air quality 'very poor' the day after; improvement over previous years

Delhi air quality 'very poor' after Diwali, improves from previous years

Pollution 'very unhealthy' and 'unhealthy' in the national capital and cities around it

Parts of Punjab, Haryana face 'poor' to 'very poor' air quality post-Diwali

After Diwali, several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday morning recorded air quality in the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories. Gurugram in Haryana and Ludhiana in Punjab reported their respective air quality index (AQI) at 313 and 269 at 10:10 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) data. Among other districts, Faridabad, Charkhi Dadri, Bhiwani, Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Sonipat, Jind, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Panipat reported their AQI at 311, 301, 291, 241, 279, 214, 296, 211, 276 and 192 respectively. In Punjab, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh, Patiala, Jalandhar and Khanna the AQI was recorded at 249, 208, 225, 260 and 212 respectively -- all in the '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'. The AQI in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, was recorded at 178. The Punjab governm

SC refuses urgent hearing on plea against firecracker ban in Delhi

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to accord urgent hearing to a plea against an order banning storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1, 2023. A bench of Chief Justice U U Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi asked the lawyer, who mentioned the matter seeking urgent hearing, to approach the Delhi High Court. "Let the high court decide, we will not get into this," the bench said. The lawyer, who sought the urgent hearing, submitted before the bench that the high court has taken a view that the matter is pending before the Supreme Court and listed it on October 18. The Delhi High Court had earlier deferred hearing on the plea of green cracker merchants against an order banning storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1. The petitioners contended that the absolute ban by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee is in contravention of the orders of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, which never provi

Delhi has 'very poor' air quality on Diwali, pollution likely to turn worse

At 8 am, the capital's air quality index (AQI) stood at 341, up from 314 at 4 pm on Wednesday. The 24-hour average AQI was 303 on Tuesday and 281 on Monday.

Stubble burning share in Delhi's air pollution may go up to 38%: SAFAR

The share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution is predicted to increase to 38 per cent by November 6 two days after Diwali