Delhi Pollution: Capital's Air Quality Continues To Be 'Very Poor', Govt Meeting Today To Review Restrictions. Latest Updates

Delhi woke up to lingering smog covering its sky with the AQI under the “very poor” category.

New Delhi: The Air Quality Index in Delhi stood at 326 on Monday morning. The city woke up to lingering smog covering its sky with the AQI under the “very poor” category. The National Capital Region continued to breathe the polluted air as Noida recorded an AQI of 356, in the "very poor" category, while Gurugram's AQI at 364 also continued to remain in the "very poor" category.

Here Are The Key Updates:

• Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will host a high-level meeting on Monday to review the latest orders issued by the Centre's air quality body regarding reversing limitations imposed under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
  
  


• After the air pollution in the capital improved marginally to the lower end of the "very poor" category on Sunday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), directed authorities to lift the curbs.
  
  


• The Centre's air quality panel instructed authorities on Sunday to suspend the ban on non-BS VI diesel-powered light motor vehicles and truck entrance into the city imposed under the last stage of the Graded Response Action Plan.
  
  


• Last week on Thursday, as the AQI reached 450, just a notch short of the "severe plus" category, the Commission of Air Quality Management directed authorities to prohibit the use of non-BS VI diesel light motor vehicles in the city and adjoining NCR districts, as well as the entry of trucks into the national capital, as part of GRAP stage IV anti-pollution measures.
  
  


• A decision on reopening primary schools and rescinding the order requiring 50 percent of government employees to work from home is expected to be made at the meeting, according to an official, news agency PTI reported.  Last Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that primary schools in Delhi will be shut until the pollution situation improves.

Notably, the quality of air will deteriorate in Delhi in the coming days, news agency ANI reported citing the data released by the "Air Quality Early Warning System Delhi".

"The air quality is likely to deteriorate but remain in the very poor category from November 8 to November 9," it stated in a press release, adding that the forecast for the subsequent six days is likely to remain in the 'Very Poor' category.

(With Agency Inputs)