New Delhi [India], November 19 (ANI): The national capital woke up to a dense blanket of toxic smog on Wednesday morning, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 392 at 9 am in the “very poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Air quality showed no improvement from Tuesday, when the AQI was recorded at 341 at 7 am and 374 at 4 pm.
Several parts of the city remained shrouded in a thick layer of smog, reducing visibility and raising health concerns. At the Indira Gandhi International Airport (T3), the AQI was recorded at 342.
As per CPCB classification, an AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.
As of 9 am, AQI levels in other major cities were: Ahmedabad 168, Bengaluru 76, Chennai 94, Jaipur 188, Hyderabad 121, Patna 130, Pune 185, Lucknow 166, and Mumbai 162, as per CPCB.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit detailing the nature of the equipment and its efficiency in measuring the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital.
A bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justices Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria ordered, “Let GNCTD file an affidavit explaining the nature of equipment being used and their efficiency to gauge AQI monitors. Please bring it the day after tomorrow.”
Senior advocate and amicus curiae Aparajita Singh, who was assisting the bench on the issue, said that water sprinkling took place around pollution monitoring stations to skew the AQI readings in Delhi. She placed on record news reports about water sprinkling around pollution monitoring stations.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Central government, stated that sprinkling of water is occurring across the city. “Political parties are spreading such videos,” she said.
Amicus further told the bench that instances of stubble burning were being undercounted. Giving a solution to the issue, she said that farmers should be given equipment for disposing it the stubble. The apex court also asked the Centre to devise a long-term solution to address the issue of air pollution.
It directed the Chief Secretary of Punjab and Haryana to ensure that the directions to curb stubble burning issued by the CAQM in its report dated November 13 are implemented.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for one of the petitioners, submitted that air pollution had increased this year and stated that construction activities should be stopped in the national capital.
The bench, however, was not satisfied with the advocate’s suggestion and stated in its order, “The restriction to be imposed on activities in Delhi in a graded manner, taking into consideration AQI standards, has been finalised by experts in the field based on scientific data. We do not possess the expertise to deal with the same. We are, therefore, not inclined to act on the submission of Sankaranarayanan that all activities be stopped in Delhi. A large chunk of the population depends on the various activities for their livelihood in the capital.”
The bench has now listed the matter relating to air pollution for November 19.
Meanwhile, in view of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) III was implemented on November 11 across Delhi by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The measures aim to control emissions through stricter restrictions on construction, vehicular movement, and industrial operations.
Under GRAP-III, curbs include a ban on most non-essential construction activities, restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers, suspension of classes for students up to Class 5 with a shift to hybrid or online learning, curbs on industrial operations dependent on non-clean fuel, and a ban on non-emergency diesel generator sets. (ANI)
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