Delhi Pollution: Air Quality Continues To Be 'Very Poor' Amid Ban On Construction Work

Delhi air quality continues to be 'very poor' as the Air Quality Index on Wednesday was recorded at 337 by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research

Delhi's air quality continued to remain in 'very poor' category on Wednesday amid a temporary ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR as part of its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded on Wednesday at 337 by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), reported news agency ANI. 

Earlier, the GRAP implementation subcommittee on Sunday discussed the regional air quality scenario, forecasts for meteorological conditions, and the Delhi air quality index.

It was discovered that the air quality had deteriorated considerably in the previous 24 hours. In order to prevent further deterioration, the subcommittee resolved that all activities envisioned under GRAP stage III be executed with immediate effect in the NCR, in addition to all actions envisaged under stages I and II, it said in an order.

The announcement came after the air quality in Delhi and the national capital region touched the 'severe' category.

In a release, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said, "As the AQI in Delhi has slipped into 'severe' category, the sub-committee had decided that all actions, as envisaged under Stage III of the GRAP, be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned, with immediate effect in the NCR, in addition to all action under Stage I and Stage II of the GRAP."

In its order, the CAQM said it temporarily banned construction activities, "with the exception of Metro Rail services, including stations; airport and inter-state bus terminals; railway services/stations; national security/defence-related activities/ projects of national importance; hospitals/healthcare facilities; linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines; sanitation projects like sewage treatment plants and water supply projects; ancillary activities specific to and supplementing above categories of projects".

Milk and dairy units and those involved in the manufacturing of life-saving medical equipment, drugs and medicines, were also exempted from the restrictions stipulated in the CAQM order.