The residents in the national capital have found no respite from the deteriorating air quality, as it has continued to be in the 'Severe' category on Thursday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in Anand Vihar at 432, in RK Puram at 453, in Punjabi Bagh at 444, and in ITO at 441.
In a bid to curb the rising air pollution, the New Delhi Municipal Council sprinkled water in the Lodhi Road area.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police issued over 1,300 challans in a single day to vehicle owners driving without PUC certificates, officials said on Wednesday, as reported by the news agency PTI.
On Sunday, after the city's air quality plummeted to the 'Severe Plus' category, Stage IV of the Centre's pollution control plan, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), came into effect in Delhi. Under GRAP Stage IV, all kinds of construction work and the entry of polluting trucks into the city are banned.
The police issued 1,344 challans on Tuesday to vehicles operating without a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate, PTI reported, citing data shared by the police. A total of 1,253 challans and 991 notices were issued for obstructive or improper parking, and 403 vehicles were towed by traffic cranes.
As many as 131 and 888 challans were issued for driving against the flow of traffic and no-entry violations, respectively. In a bid to restrict non-destined goods vehicles, 1,239 were checked and 488 returned. The police said that only those vehicles carrying essential commodities with valid permission were allowed, PTI reported.