-->
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday said the city government will not compromise on pollution and will take necessary action if air quality in the capital keeps deteriorating.
The authorities withdrew the emergency measures in view of a continuous improvement in the air pollution situation, he said.
"If the situation remains unfavourable, we will consult experts and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and take necessary action... We cannot compromise on the pollution issue," Mr Rai said.
Drives against open burning of garbage, dust pollution and polluting vehicles will continue in the city, he added.
"Experts have forecast an improvement from Saturday," the minister said.
On Monday, the CAQM lifted restrictions on construction and demolition activities in the Delhi-NCR and entry of trucks into the national capital in view of an improvement in the air quality and "favourable" meteorological forecast.
However, Delhi's air quality turned 'severe' the next day.
It remained in the 'severe' zone for the fourth day on the trot on Friday due to low wind speed and high humidity, the authorities said.
The city's air quality index read 420 at 3 pm (Friday). The 24-hour average AQI was 423 on Thursday, 407 on Wednesday and 402 on Tuesday.
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 Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecast agency SAFAR said low ventilation and high humidity have led to such a situation. Similar conditions will further increase the AQI on Friday, it said.
Weather experts said the slowing down of winds due to a western disturbance affecting northwest India is leading to accumulation of pollutants, and high moisture content in the air makes pollutants heavier, making dispersion difficult.
Light rain is likely in the plains of north India between December 27 and December 29, which may improve the air quality a bit.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
A small city on the Meghalaya-Assam border, nearly 2,000 kilometres away from Delhi, is the most polluted in the world, according to a report published by a global pollution watchdog.
Here we share a list of yoga asanas you can perform when you don't feel like working out.
If you're looking to escape the pollution and experience some of the cleanest air on the planet, here are five countries where you can breathe a little easier.
Tens of millions of Pakistanis spent at least four months breathing toxic air pollution 20 times above safe levels, in the worst winter smog season for several years, according to data analysed by AFP.
Thirteen of the world's top 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Assam topping the list, according to a new report published on Tuesday.
................................ Advertisement ................................
Opinion | Why Indians Have Just Given Up On Air Pollution CrisisTanushree Ganguly
Friday December 20, 2024While some may argue that people in Delhi are now more aware of air pollution than they were a decade back, my rebuttal would be that awareness does not mean that people are concerned.
Opinion | You Must Outrage Over Filthy Air More Than Once A YearJyoti Pande Lavakare
Tuesday December 10, 2024Delhi welcomed us with monsoon rains and mangos. We were home. Fast forward a couple of years, in the winter of 2012, I found myself in denial about something other parents, mostly expats, were calling toxic air.
Opinion | Delhi's Air Pollution Situation Is Like A Bad MarriageNishtha Gautam
Friday November 22, 2024On a good day, such as today, the AQI reading in Delhi is 407. We are jubilant at the sickly sunshine trickling through the slightly dissipated smog. At least its not 1600.
दिवाली... पराली... सियासी जुगाली!Ashwini kumar
Monday November 18, 2024दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का समाधान तो आज तक मिला नहीं. हर साल चिंतित होकर हम-आप सांसों की तकलीफ के साथ-साथ दिल और ब्लड प्रेशर के मरीज भी क्यों बनें?
घर में कैद बुजुर्ग और हांफते लोग, दिल्ली की सांसों में घुला ये कैसा रोग?Nidhi Kulpati
Friday November 08, 2024हमारी हवा जहरीली हो रही है. गुरुवार की शाम को जब मैं इस मुद्दे पर लिखने बैठी तो AQI लगातार 400 पार जाकर दम घोंट रहा था. बहुत लोगों को यह मामला बोरिंग लगे, लेकिन जब आप अपने साथ काम करने वालों को खांसते-हांफते देखते-सुनते हैं, तो चिंता होने लगती है. सुबह उठते ही दरवाजे खिड़कियां खोलने के लिए डॉक्टर मना कर रहे हैं. बड़े बुजुर्गों के लिए तो मॉर्निंग वॉक बाहर की दुनिया से सीधे संपर्क का ज़रिया है, लेकिन डॉक्टर इसकी भी मनाही कर रहे हैं.