Delhi's air quality remains in 'severe' category, respite unlikely soon

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Nov 17, 2023, 11:17 AM IST

The national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 404 on Friday morning, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) website. After a brief respite from the decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Delhi-NCR region, the AQI has recently started to rise again post-Diwali.

The air quality in Delhi and its adjoining areas continued to remain in the severe category as a thick layer of poisonous smog blanketed the city on Friday morning. The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) website states that the national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) was measured at 404 on Friday morning. There has been no respite from the hazardous smog clouds and toxic air despite several measures by the government.

The people of Delhi face a dual challenge with the onset of increasing cold on one hand and a surge in air pollution on the other. After a brief respite from the decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Delhi-NCR region, the AQI has recently started to rise again post-Diwali.

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Indicating that the situation is unlikely to improve in the upcoming days, an official from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated on Thursday that calm winds and lower temperatures in Delhi have created an atmosphere favourable to the buildup of pollutants.

On Thursday, the Delhi AQI, which is calculated every day at 4 p.m., was 419. The values that came before were 218 on Sunday, 220 on Saturday, 358 on Monday, 397 on Tuesday, and 279 on the Friday before.

Persistently categorised as 'very poor,' the air quality in Delhi on Thursday was significantly affected by vehicular emissions, which constituted 25 per cent of the total pollution, according to the data provided by the Delhi government and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

On Thursday, the Delhi government formed a Special Task Force, led by Environment Minister Gopal Rai. To address the declining AQI, this six-person team's responsibilities include monitoring coordination, regulatory enforcement, and report compilation.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the city's two experimental smog towers had not been able to lower air pollution levels. It also said there was no need for these enormous air purifiers to require such expensive upkeep.

Even though the Delhi government had implemented the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage 4, the air quality in the city significantly worsened after Diwali. The plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles is banned under the GRAP Stage IV, with exemptions granted to those involved in essential services.

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