Schools closed, construction halted as Delhi-NCR air quality hits hazardous levels

Today, on November 3, the air quality in Delhi-NCR has worsened, going beyond the '700' mark.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) has reached alarming levels in several places.

What

• On Friday, the air quality index in the national capital region remained in the "hazardous" category, with a reading exceeding 400, greeting residents with another day of hazardous air.
• On Thursday, the air quality in Delhi-NCR approached a critical level, leading to a response from authorities.
• They imposed a ban on non-essential construction work and closed primary schools in the capital to address the dangerous pollution.

• A thick and unpleasant haze covered the Delhi-NCR skyline.
• The concentration of PM2.5, which is fine particulate matter harmful to health, exceeded safe limits by seven to eight times at various locations in the region.

An Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology model indicated that 25% of the PM2.5 pollution in Delhi on Thursday was due to smoke from stubble burning, which may increase to 35% on Friday.

Most polluted areas

Anand Vihar station, Punjabi Bagh station, and Mundka station have recorded AQI levels in the 'severe' category, which is above 400, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

To address the issue, restrictions have also been placed on diesel and petrol vehicles in and around Delhi.

What is being done?

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai stated that they are not delaying the implementation of the odd-even scheme.

He mentioned that the Supreme Court has entrusted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) with the authority to make decisions in this matter.

As a result, Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was activated by the CAQM, leading to the suspension of non-essential construction activities and the imposition of restrictions on certain vehicle categories.

A fine of Rs 20,000 was declared for BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles, and these restrictions applied to the surrounding areas of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

To combat indoor pollution, people were advised to use air purifiers in their homes.

The alarming levels of air pollution in India have had severe consequences, resulting in 1.67 million deaths in 2019, the highest pollution-related death toll globally, and causing economic losses of USD 36.8 billion, as reported by a study conducted by various research organisations.

One of the primary reasons for the recent surge in pollutants is the absence of rainfall during the post-monsoon season. In October 2023, Delhi's air quality deteriorated significantly, with an AQI of 210, compared to 210 in October the previous year and 173 in October 2021.

In contrast to the previous years, October 2023 experienced only one rainy day with minimal precipitation.

An analysis by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) revealed that peak pollution occurs from November 1 to November 15 when incidents of stubble burning increase in Punjab and Haryana.