Delhi Air Pollution: Centre Bans Non-Essential Construction Work As AQI Reaches 'Severe' Category
The 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 407 at 4 pm. The pollution level in the national capital entered the 'severe' category after November 4, when the AQI was 447.
As pollution in the national capital worsened on Sunday, the Centre's air quality body ordered authorities in the Delhi-NCR region to prohibit non-essential construction activities under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Air quality in Delhi in ‘Severe’ category; Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & adjoining areas temporarily bans construction and demolition activities in the entire NCR pic.twitter.com/2nVLVFbBjy
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2022
Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 407 at 4 pm.
On Sunday, the GRAP implementation subcommittee convened to discuss the regional air quality scenario as well as 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.
After November 4, when the AQI was 447, Delhi's pollution level entered the severe' category.
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An AQI of 201 to 300 is termed 'poor,' 301 to 400'very poor,' and 401 to 500 'severe.'
On November 14, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directed authorities to revoke curbs imposed in the Delhi-NCR under stage III of GRAP, including a ban on non-essential construction activities.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Vijay Soni told news agency ANI that the city's AQI was over 400 but that it hoped to improve by the evening.
Due to low wind speed & decrease in mixing layer height, the air quality is deteriorating in Delhi. Today the air quality has come to the severe category with AQI around 400. We will see an improvement in AQI from evening onwards: Vijay Soni, IMD scientist in Air Quality Division
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2022
On Sunday, the AQI in Anand Vihar surpassed 500, while the quality index in Kashmiri Gate fell to 379.
The city's air quality stayed in the 'very poor' category for the fifth consecutive day until Saturday, before deteriorating to the 'severe' category on Sunday.
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