Delhi Air Crisis: AQI Remains 'Poor' At 350, CM Imposes Rs 5,000 Fine On Garbage Burning
Amid rising air pollution concerns in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced strict enforcement of a complete ban on open burning across the city.
Delhi Air Pollution: The national capital’s air quality index (AQI) remained in the “poor” category at 350 for the second consecutive day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Despite this, pollution levels persist, with the city blanketed in smog. Twenty-eight monitoring stations reported “poor” air quality, an improvement, while nine stations continued to record “very poor” levels.
NSIT, Dwarka, and Bawana registered the most polluted readings on Wednesday, with AQIs of 324 and 319, respectively. Only Aya Nagar, IGI Airport T3, and Mandir Marg reported “moderate” air quality.
Amid rising air pollution concerns in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced strict enforcement of a complete ban on open burning across the city.
Coal, Firewood Banned in Tandoors at Eating Establishments
Gupta said a strict prohibition has been imposed on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors at all hotels, restaurants and open eateries in Delhi, with authorities instructed to ensure compliance.
Up to Rs 5,000 Fine for Garbage Burning
The Chief Minister stated that district administrations and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have been empowered to impose fines of up to Rs 5,000 on anyone found burning garbage in the open.
Public Appeal to Prevent Open Waste Burning
Urging public cooperation, Gupta said in a post on X, "We humbly request all citizens not to burn waste in the open. Your small cooperation can bring about a big change."
Delhi-NCR AQI
Faridabad recorded an AQI of 144, falling in the “moderate” category, while Gurugram reported a “poor” AQI of 231. Yamuna Nagar registered 223 (“poor”), and Indirapuram in Ghaziabad reported 253 (“poor”). Gorakhpur recorded a “satisfactory” AQI of 77, Greater Noida stood at 192 (“moderate”), and Noida reported a “poor” AQI of 297. Muzaffarnagar registered an AQI of 194, also in the “moderate” category.
Area-Wise AQI In Delhi
Air quality across Delhi remained largely in the ‘very poor’ category, with multiple locations recording alarming AQI levels. Several areas, including Bawana (320), DTU (302), Jahangirpuri (313), Mundka (313), Nehru Nagar (311), Siri Fort (289), Vivek Vihar (306), Wazirpur (305), Shadipur (238), and Akshardham (354 and 319), reported severely degraded conditions. Other neighbourhoods such as Alipur (264), Anand Vihar (298), Ashok Vihar (287), Burari Crossing (272), Chandni Chowk (282), Dwarka (274), IIT Delhi (221), ITO (283), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (270), Najafgarh (233), Narela (267), DU North Campus (254), Okhla Phase-2 (268), Patparganj (271), Punjabi Bagh (280), RK Puram (284), Rohini (298), Sonia Vihar (286), and Ghazipur (298) also remained in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ range.
A few locations recorded relatively better air, though still below healthy levels. IGI Airport T-3 reported a ‘moderate’ AQI of 169, while India Gate and Kartavya Path stood in the ‘poor’ category at 225. Overall, the data reflects widespread and persistent air quality deterioration across the city.
Delhi Weather
As a coldwave grips the national capital, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted dense fog and chilly conditions for Wednesday (December 9). The minimum temperature is expected to plunge to 7 Degree Celsius, causing severe morning and nighttime cold. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature may reach around 25 Degree Celsius, while the minimum will settle at 7 Degree Celsius.
On Tuesday morning, Delhi recorded an overall AQI of 292 in the ‘poor’ category, with several areas slipping into ‘very poor’ levels. Locations such as Akshardham, Ghazipur, and Anand Vihar reported particularly alarming readings of 319.
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