Residents in Delhi and its adjoining areas saw a thick layer of smog covering the region, significantly dropping the air quality to the 'Severe' category after the Air Quality Index crossed the 400 mark and disrupted flight operations due to low visibility.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has called the early-morning dense smog an "episodic event".
Thick smog caused zero-metre visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at 8.30 am with the Runway Visual Range varying between 125 and 500 metres at different locations, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Since October, the Delhi-NCR region has seen air quality dropping to dangerous levels, with many contributing factors like vehicular pollution in the capital and stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana.
Pollution board CAQM said, "Today, Delhi's daily average AQI clocked 418 as per the 4 PM AQI Bulletin by CPCB. The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP accordingly took stock of the air quality scenario and the AQI forecast, including for the meteorological conditions as made by IMD/ IITM."
Today, Delhi's daily average AQI clocked 418 as per the 4 PM AQI Bulletin by CPCB. The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP accordingly took stock of the air quality scenario and the AQI forecast, including for the meteorological conditions as made by IMD/ IITM.
— Commission for Air Quality Management (@CAQM_Official) November 13, 2024
Cont. (1/5)
"The Sub-Committee noted this steep rise in AQI of Delhi owing to this episodic event, since this morning."
The board said they expect the situation to improve by tomorrow morning, "owing to stronger winds" and the "AQI, is expected to start showing a declining trend tomorrow onwards." They said the air quality is likely to move back to the 'Very Poor' category tomorrow.
On enforcing stage III of pollution measures, the panel said, "Comprehensively reviewing this scenario accordingly, it was decided by the Sub-Committee to keep a close watch on the situation, before invoking the stringent/ restrictive measures under Stage-III of GRAP and to review the status tomorrow."
In October, the panel implemented stage II of the anti-pollution plan in the city after the AQI crossed the 300 mark and has hovered mostly between 200-300 since then.
Under stage two of the GRAP or the Graded Response Action Plan, there will be restrictions on the use of coal and firewood as well as diesel generator sets in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
Mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling on identified roads will also be carried out daily, and dust control measures will be enforced at construction and demolition sites.
Further, traffic personnel will be deployed at congestion points, vehicle parking fees will be increased to discourage private transport and additional bus and metro services will be started.
Under stage III measures, there's a ban on non-essential construction work and the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated on Sunday with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching the 'severe' category at 409 at 4 pm, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
The Bombay High Court on Friday said pollution-free environment was a constitutional right, and pulled up the Maharashtra government and other authorities for their failure to tackle the issue of air pollution.
Best Masks for Air Pollution Protection: Lets delve into the effectiveness of N95 masks versus other types, helping you make an informed choice for your health.
While 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.
Delhi's air quality plunged into the 'severe plus' category on Thursday, with a 24 hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 451 recorded at 4 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data.
................................ 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.