Delhi's air quality improves: SC to review anti-pollution measures today
The national capital, Delhi, saw a marginal improvement in its air quality on Monday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 279, under the "poor" category. This is a slight improvement from Sunday's "very poor" AQI of 318. However, visibility continued to be hampered due to thick haze. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said several monitoring stations still recorded AQI levels between 200-300 with some in the "very poor" category.
Supreme Court to review continuation of emergency measures
The Supreme Court will on Monday decide whether to continue with the Stage 4 emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The measures were introduced to tackle Delhi's severe air pollution. The restrictions include a ban on truck entry into Delhi unless they carry essential items or use clean fuels such as LNG, CNG, BS-VI diesel, or electric power. Non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi are also restricted unless they meet similar fuel criteria.
CPCB attributes air quality improvement to weather conditions
The CPCB has credited the recent improvement in Delhi's air quality to higher wind speeds and clearer skies, along with a slight rise in temperature. However, toxic foam was seen floating on the Yamuna River near Kalindi Kunj, showing high pollution levels in the water. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a cold day for Delhi with temperatures between a minimum of 12 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 28 degrees Celsius.
Staggered working hours implemented to reduce vehicular emissions
On Friday, November 22, Delhi recorded an overall AQI of 373 in the "very poor" category. In response, the Centre announced staggered working hours for government employees to curb vehicular emissions. Offices were advised to function from either 9:00am to 5:30pm or from 10:00am to 6:30pm. The Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management estimated vehicular emissions contributed 18.1% to Delhi's pollution on Sunday while stubble burning accounted for another 19% on Saturday.
Delhi's air quality had plunged into hazardous levels earlier
Earlier in November, Delhi's air quality had dipped to hazardous levels with AQI above 450 for days. This prompted Stage 4 restrictions under GRAP. The main pollutant was PM2.5 particles, which are extremely harmful as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Despite recent improvements, Delhi continues to be one of India's most polluted cities, only behind Bihar's Hajipur as per recent CPCB data.
