New Delhi:
Delhi and surrounding areas woke up to a thick layer of smog this morning, and the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the “very poor” category despite various anti-pollution measures. According to real-time data provided by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the AQI on Diwali morning was recorded at 328, which falls under the “very poor” category.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and over 450 severe plus.
At Anand Vihar, one of the 40 monitoring stations in the national capital, the AQI level was recorded at 419 and remained in the “severe” category.
# See | Delhi: A layer of smog enveloped the Anand Vihar area of the national capital.
According to CPCB, Anand Vihar's air quality index is 418 in the 'severe' category. pic.twitter.com/zcGVBOarZx
— ANI (@ANI) 31 October 2024
Air quality in other areas like Alipur, Ashok Vihar, Aya Nagar, Bawana, Bururi, Dwarka, IGI Airport (T3), Jahangir Puri, Mandka, Narila, Okhla, Patparganj, Punjabi Bagh, Rohini, RK Puram remained “very bad”. Rohini, Vivek Vihar, Shadipur, Sonia Vihar, and Wazirpur.
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The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, said the air quality is likely to remain in the “very poor” category on Thursday and Friday, but in the severe category in case of additional emissions from crackers and bonfires or garbage fires. can also reach .
Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services told news agency PTI that pollution levels are likely to rise on Diwali as winds have shifted from south-southeast to north-west, blowing smoke from burning pyres into the city. can take
“If crackers are also burst, the changed direction of air can further trap pollutants, which can worsen air quality,” he said.
Last year, the “festival of lights” was celebrated on November 12 and Delhi recorded its best air quality on Diwali in eight years, with an average AQI of 218.
In the neighboring states of Haryana and Punjab, stubble burning or field fires during the harvest season, especially after October and November, are also often blamed for rising pollution levels in Delhi.
Strict measures in Delhi on Diwali
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has said that 377 teams have been formed to enforce the ban on crackers in the national capital on the occasion of Diwali.
All Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) have been asked to form dedicated teams to ensure that firecrackers are not burst in their respective districts, a senior Delhi Police officer has said.
The capital has been breathing hazardous air quality for the past few weeks, prompting authorities to implement the second phase of the Graded Response Action Plan, or GRAP, last week.
Under the second phase, the use of coal and wood as well as diesel generator sets will be banned in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR).
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Mechanical sweeping and water spraying of identified roads will also be carried out on a daily basis, and dust control measures will be implemented at construction and demolition sites.
Apart from this, traffic officers will be deployed at congested areas, vehicle parking fees will be increased to discourage private transport and additional bus and metro services will be introduced.
People are advised to use public transport and minimize the use of private vehicles. They have also been asked to regularly change the air filters in their vehicles at the recommended intervals, and avoid dust-generating construction activities from October to January.
People in Delhi-NCR have also been asked to avoid open burning of solid waste and biomass.