No Respite From 'Severe' Air Quality In Delhi, Flights Delayed Due To Low Low Visibility

The government blamed neighboring BJP-ruled states for sending BS-IV diesel buses, exacerbating pollution.

The air quality in Delhi continued to remain 'severe' for the consecutive fifth day on Sunday.

Source : PTI

The air quality in Delhi worsened in Delhi on Sunday with many areas in the "severe" category despite the Delhi government invoking restrictions under stage three of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). 

According to data by the Central Pollution Control Board, they recorded an Air Quality Index of 429 on Sunday, Several stations recorded "severe" air quality including Anand Vihar (457), Ashok Vihar (466), Bawana (471), Burari Crossing (471), CRRI Mathura Road (471), Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range (415), Dwarka Sector-8 (452), IGI Airport (452), IBHAS-Dilshad Garden (443), ITO (414), Jahangirpuri (465), Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (420), Mandir Marg (432), Mundka (461), NSIT Dwarka (422), Najafgarh (409), Narela (442), Nehru Nagar (442), North Campus DU (421), Okhla Phase-2 (408), Patparganj (435), Punjab Bagh (446), Pusa-DPCC (408), Pusa-IMD (428), RK Puram (433), Rohin (448), Shadipur (456), Sirifort (404), Sonia Vihar (435), Vivek Vihar (453), and Wazirpur 461. 

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.

The worsened air quality led to the city being shrouded in a layer of smog affecting visibility and leading to delays and cancellation of flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. At 7:30 am, the the visibility dropped to 800 metres at IGI Airport leading to 107 flights being delayed and 3 cancelled, reported India Today. 

The restriction under GRAP-III came into force on Friday with authorities intensifying action against those violating norms with teams of traffic police, transport department and others penalising violators.

On Friday, Delhi Traffic Police issued around 550 challans for violating the ban on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles imposing fines of over Rs 1 crore on the first day of restriction under the third stage of GRAP. 

Under the restrictions imposed, Diesel and petrol inter-state buses, except for BS VI diesel, from the NCR cities to Delhi are also banned. 

The police also took strict action against vehicles not having a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate. These challans get released from courts. 

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai blamed Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled governments of the neighbouring states for exacerbating air pollution in the national capital by sending BS-IV diesel buses despite a ban. 

"The BJP governments are deliberately sending diesel buses to Delhi, which is prohibited under the current guidelines, to worsen air pollution," said Rai pointing to states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.