Nation

Delhi Pollution: Schools Closed, Crack Down On Vehicles As Smog Chokes National Capital

November 3, 2023
Bharat Times

Delhi Pollution News: A hazy layer of smog engulfed the national capital on Friday morning with a worsened air quality in the ‘Very Poor’ category. the air quality index (AQI) of Delhi stood at 346 as of 7 am, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR India). Several areas in the town recorded ‘severe’ category air quality — Ashok Vihar’s AQI stood at 430, while the index at T3 terminal was 473, as of 7 am data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Severe pollution levels have forced the authorities to close the schools. Taking on X, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced, “In light of the rising pollution levels, all govt and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 2 days.”

A pungent haze blanketed the skyline of Delhi-NCR as the concentration of PM2.5 exceeded the safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by seven to eightfold at various locations throughout the region, reported news agency PTI. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday called an emergency meeting to review the situation.

Amid a massive dip in air quality, truck-mounted water sprinklers were put to work central Delhi area in a bid to control the pollution. Scientists have warned of further deterioration of air quality in Delhi-NCR over the next two weeks, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, the Centre’s pollution control panel has already ordered an immediate ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing and mining in the region. Restrictions are also in place on the movement of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. These are part of Centre’s Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

GRAP has been categorised into four stages: Stage I – ‘poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II – ‘very poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III – ‘severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV – ‘severe plus’ (AQI above 450).

Noida police has also begun a special campaign to take action against 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles. Anil Yadav, DCP Traffic said that police seized around 175 vehicles for violation of rules in the last 15 days.

“Due to the increasing pollution, Noida Police has conducted a special campaign, action taken against 10-year old diesel vehicles and 15-year old petrol vehicles and action also taken against vehicles with no pollution certificate and fitness certificate. It was a campaign for 15 days. We have seized around 175 vehicles which were 10-15 days old and 7000 vehicles have been fined…”

Apart from Delhi, adjoining cities in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have also recorded dangerous levels of pollutants in the air.

These included Hanumangarh (409) and Sri Ganganagar (384) in Rajasthan; Hisar (451), Fatehabad (413), Jind (413), Rohtak (456), Sonipat (443), Kurukshetra (334), Karnal (348), Kaithal (372), Bhiwani (371), Faridabad (463) and Gurugram (438) in Haryana; and Ghaziabad (383), Noida (413) and Greater Noida (485) in Uttar Pradesh.