Delhi Pollution LIVE: Mumbai Police Books 806 People For Violating HC's Order On Firecracker Ban, Penal Action Taken Against 734
Air Pollution News LIVE Updates: Hello and welcome to ABP Live Delhi Pollution Live Blog. Follow this space for all the latest developments on Delhi pollution.
Mumbai Police has registered 784 cases against 806 persons for violation of Bombay High Court orders on crackers and air pollution. Out of these 806 persons, penal action was taken against 734 persons. Bombay High Court had allowed bursting of firecrackers only between 8 pm to 10pm during Diwali.
Kolkata: On air pollution, Chairman of West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Dr Kalyan Rudra says "Kolkata is far better. We are monitoring it (air quality) at 175 locations, all over West Bengal. The air quality is far better than even Mumbai, forget about Delhi. In the metropolitan cities, Chennai has a little better (AQI) than Kolkata but compared to Delhi and Mumbai, Kolkata is better...I am proud that, our team has created the most intensive network of monitoring of AQI in the country..."
Delhi: On air pollution, Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director, LNJP Hospital says "The Air Quality Index is still over 300 and several patients have been admitted to our OPD and Emergency wards. There are COPD and asthma patients who are admitted to our Emergency wards. 15 such patients have been admitted yesterday. To protect ourselves, we need to wear masks. People who are complaining of breathlessness or sore throat should visit the doctor..."
Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva says, "Many a time it feels that Gopal Rai is not the Environment Minister, he speaks like a Spokesperson. Gopal Rai should say that what did they do to curb pollution. If you are holding Diwali responsible for the increase in pollution in Delhi, you are doing politics of polarisation. You are attempting to please a particular category. On 4th November, AQI in Anand Vihar was 498, today it is 240 - after the bursting of crackers on Diwali. So, was it Arvind Kejriwal who burst crackers on 4th November?...Unless AAP and Arvind Kejriwal address the main issues of pollution & try to do away with the stubble burning in Punjab, the issue in Delhi will persist..."
On bursting for firecrackers in Delhi on Diwali, Environment Minister Gopal Rai says, "There is a ban on production, storage and sale of firecrackers in Delhi. The firecrackers were brought to Delhi from UP and Haryana. The police of Delhi, Haryana and UP are under the control of BJP and no common man can easily supply the firecrackers amid the monitoring of these three police forces. Some specific people have done this."
Following the pollution review meeting, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai says, "Anti-pollution measures under GRAP IV regulations will remain enforced in Delhi until the next order of CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management). Under this, the ban on BS-III petrol vehicles and BS-IV diesel vehicles will remain. All trucks, except those carrying essential goods and connected to essential services and CNG & electric trucks, will not be allowed to enter Delhi."
Delhi minister Gopal Rai speaks to the media after a pollution review meeting in Delhi: "Yesterday, the AQI in parts of Delhi was recorded between 215 and 220. And today, it reached 315-320 after firecrackers were burst in a targeted manner in several areas of Delhi, UP, and Haryana."
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai conducts pollution review meeting at Delhi Secretariat.
On the firecracker ban, Congress MP Manish Tewari says, "...It is obvious that the ban has been flouted with impunity... If you look at the AQI levels across various cities in India, they ranged from very poor to hazardous... It is ironic that a country that could close down at a four-hour notice for lockdown cannot control or implement a Supreme Court order... Obviously, there was a lack of will and no enforcement. This is a very serious issue... The Supreme Court should call all the states and ask them why this order was not enforced...If implementing agencies do not fulfill the orders of the Supreme Court in letter and spirit, this has great implications for the Constitution of India..."
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai called a meeting at noon today.
"We have called a meeting of the Environment Department at 12 pm today to analyse the current situation. We will take an action after it," he said.
Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Services said, "No casualty was reported in any fire incident on this Diwali. A total of 208 fire-related calls including 22 firecrackers-related calls were received yesterday. Only one major incident of fire was reported from Deputyganj in Sadar Bazaar where 24 fire tenders were rushed."
Smog continues to shroud Delhi-NCR as air quality deteriorates day after Diwali. Visuals from Akshardham.
Air quality in Delhi has deteriorated a day after Delhi as ban on firecrackers was violated.
A stringent enforcement of the ban on firecrackers holds the promise of delivering the best air quality on Diwali day in eight years for Delhi on Sunday.
Delhiites woke up to clear skies and abundant sunshine, and the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 202 at 7 am, the best in at least three weeks.
Delhi health department has advised the residents against morning walks in the wake of air pollution.
Air Quality Index in Gurugram stood at 172 followed by 166 in Faridabad, 63 in Panipat, 169 in Bhiwani, 99 in Sonipat, 66 at Sirsa, 108 in Rohtak. The districts in Punjab also showed slight improvement in air quality as AQI in Bathinda stood at 138, followed by 64 in Ludhiana, and 81 in Khanna.
"More than 50% decline is being seen in pollution levels... My appeal to the people of Delhi and all the people living in the states around Delhi is do not burn firecrackers. Light diyas instead. Incidents of stubble burning are already decreasing. It will be easy to control it with everyone's collective and active efforts," Delhi minister Gopal Rai said.
Background
Delhi Pollution News LIVE: Hello and welcome to ABP Live Delhi Pollution Live Blog. Follow this space for all the latest developments on Delhi pollution.
The air quality in Delhi showed slight improvement on Diwali as it remained in the “poor” category as compared to “severe” over the last few days. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at Anand Vihar stood at 266, in RK Puram at 241, in Punjabi Bagh at 233 and in ITO at 227, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Light rain and favourable wind speed on Friday helped in dispersing pollutants in the air, thereby, bringing down the air quality from "severe" to "poor" category.
An AQI between zero 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 India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted slight improvement in the air quality just ahead of the festival due to favourable meteorological conditions, including light rain, under the influence of a western disturbance.
In view of worsening air pollution, the Supreme Court had imposed a nationwide ban on firecrackers containing barium earlier this week.
A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh directed the Rajasthan government to comply with its earlier order on bursting of firecrackers.
"Sensitising common people about the harmful effects of firecrackers is the key. Ironically, nowadays children don't burst many firecrackers but elders do. It is a wrong perception that it is the duty of the court when it comes to pollution and environment protection. People have to come forward. It is for everyone to manage air and sound pollution," the top court bench said.
Meanwhile, the 24-hour average air quality index on Saturday stood at 220, the lowest for the day before Diwali in eight years.
As per CPCB data, Delhi clocked an AQI of 312 on Diwali last year, 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 281 in 2018, 319 in 2017, and 431 in 2016.
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