Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declared on Thursday that all public and private elementary schools in the city would be closed for the next two days as a result of air pollution. Over the previous three days, Delhi’s air quality has been worse, with the AQI above 400 (severe).
The city was enveloped in a hazy haze on Thursday, which obscured the sun and the skyline as a result of an increase in field fires and unfavourable weather. At about seven in the morning, visibility at the Safdarjung Observatory dropped to about 500 metres, but as the day’s temperature rose, it progressively improved to 800 metres, according to a representative of the India Meteorological Department.
The city’s AQI was 378 at 3 p.m. On Wednesday, it was 364; on Tuesday, it was 359; on Monday, it was 347; on Sunday, it was 325; on Saturday, it was 304; and on Friday, it was 261. ‘Severe’ air quality was reported in a number of city neighbourhoods, including Punjabi Bagh (439), Dwarka Sector-8 (420), Jahangirpuri (403), Rohini (422), Narela (422), Wazirpur (406), Bawana (432), Mundka (439), Anand Vihar (452), and New Moti Bagh (406).
An AQI of 0–50 is regarded as “good,” 51–100 as “satisfactory,” 101–200 as “moderate,” 201–300 as “poor,” 301–400 as “very poor,” and 401–500 as “severe.”
In some regions, the quantity of PM2.5, a tiny particulate matter that can enter the respiratory system deeply and cause respiratory issues, was six to seven times higher than the acceptable limit of 60 microgrammes per cubic metre. Health experts are worried that children and the elderly are becoming more susceptible to asthma and lung issues due to air pollution.
The Center’s pollution control body issued orders earlier today prohibiting the admission of diesel-guzzling trucks into the capital and non-essential construction activities in Delhi-NCR. This activity is a component of Stage III of the Center’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is its wintertime air pollution reduction strategy for the area.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) stated that the unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions are the only reason why pollution levels are “expected to increase further” during a meeting to review the state of the air quality in Delhi-NCR.
GRAP divides acts into four stages: ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400), ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300), ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450), and ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI >450) for Stage III. With the exception of necessary government projects, mining, and stone crushing, Stage III of GRAP calls for an absolute stop to all building and demolition activities.
Additionally, it forbids the admission of trucks that consume fuel, medium and heavy freight vehicles, and light commercial vehicles registered outside of Delhi (excluding those participating in critical activities).
(With assistance from PTI.)
