Delhi's air stays 'severe', schools shut, anti-pollution curbs activated: Check details

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• Nov 6, 2023 | Guriya Khatun

The national capital has had "severe" air quality for continuous four days. 

Digital Desk: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) released statistics on Monday indicating that Delhi's air quality continues to be classified as "severe," with thick haze persisting over the city. The national capital has had "severe" air quality for continuous four days. The CPCB data indicates that at 7 am, the majority of monitoring stations in Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) of more than 400.

Among the locations where the AQI was recorded were 478 in Bawana, 461 in Dwarka Sector 8, 401 in ITO, 475 in Jahangirpuri, 466 in Mundka, 460 in Narela, 446 in New Moti Bagh, 447 in Okhla Phase-2, 469 in Punjabi Bagh, 464 in RK Puram, 478 in Rohini, 433 in Siri Fort, and 482 in Wazirpur.

The national capital region (NCR) and the capital were placed under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) by the Centre on Sunday due to the worsening air quality in Delhi. The anti-pollution plan's last phase is initiated at least three days before Delhi's AQI surpasses the 450 mark. Proactive installation was not possible this time, though.

Stubble burning continues to be the leading cause of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. This season, Punjab has recorded 17,403 incidences of stubble burning; 13,617 (or 78%) of those cases have occurred in the last eight days. A record 3,230 farm fire incidents were reported in Punjab on Sunday alone, with 109 incidences registered in Haryana.

Key developments in the Delhi pollution:

• Due to the declining quality of the air, the Delhi government issued an order on Sunday stating that all primary schools in the city will remain closed till November 10. Atishi, the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and minister of education for Delhi, made the statement on X. Schools now have the option to hold classes in an online format for grades 6 through 12.

The national capital's schools had been advised to remain closed till November 4.

• In the Delhi-NCR, the last phase of the Center's anti-pollution plan has been activated. This involves several limitations, including the inability of non-essential trucks to operate in Delhi, the prohibition on construction activities (including public projects), and the need for 50% of employees in both public and private offices to work from home.

Further emergency measures that state governments might think about implementing more emergency measures such as the closure of colleges and other educational institutions, non-emergency commercial activities, and allowing vehicles to run on an odd-even basis as per the registration numbers.

• The national capital and its surrounding territories have been urged to adopt all emergency measures under Stage IV of GRAP by the Commission for Air Quality (CAQM), a statutory body tasked with formulating solutions to address the air pollution situation in the Delhi-NCR.

Since Friday, November 3, there has also been "severe" air quality in the NCR cities of Noida and Gurugram.

• New Delhi has seen an increase in the sales of air purifiers amid air pollution. The increase coincided with medical professionals' advice for residents to install air purifiers in their homes and wear masks to counteract the extreme air pollution.

• Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai stated to India Today on Sunday that the current priorities of the AAP-led government are to "strictly prohibit construction work and vehicles from entering inside Delhi" in addition to "a ban on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicles, control garbage, and biomass burning..."

Additionally, he exhorted Delhi residents to use public transport instead of private vehicles. "As the BJP is in power in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, we are working with the Central government to strictly enforce these restrictions within Delhi and the NCR. We're attempting to make sure they concentrate on putting this into practice as well," Rai continued.