Amid the rise in air pollution in Delhi-NCR and adjacent states, the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh's Agra was engulfed in a layer of haze today. In Delhi and the NCR region, AQI is increasing, and certain parts of the capital are engulfed in thick smog. The general public is facing respiratory and neurological health issues.
In a bid to curb the rising pollution in the national capital, the Delhi Fire Services has joined hands with the Delhi government to spray water at several hotspots, news agency PTI reported, citing officials on Sunday. "A total of 12 fire engines have been pressed into service to curb pollution. These fire tenders have already started sprinkling water at different locations which have been identified as hotspots," Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Services, said, as quoted by PTI.
On Sunday, the air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the 'severe' category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board. According to CPCB data, Delhi's overall AQI was recorded at 457 on Sunday morning. In the wake of the rise in AQI, sprinkling of water was done in Delhi's National Zoological Park, as a measure against the worsening air quality in the national capital.
On Saturday, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai wrote to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, seeking the suspension of Delhi Pollution Control Committee chairman Ashwani Kumar for "arbitrarily halting" the operation of a large smog tower installed at Connaught Place two years ago to mitigate air pollution.
In the letter to Kejriwal, Rai also sought disciplinary action against the project in-charge, Anwar Ali, whom the minister accused of changing his stance on the smog tower's effectiveness under pressure from Kumar. Rai mentioned that two smog towers were installed in Delhi -- at Connaught Place under DPCC and at Anand Vihar under the Central Pollution Control Board -- following the Supreme Court's directions.