Delhi air still 'very poor'; ban on entry of trucks, construction extended

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was 328 --'poor'-- at 8 am, according to the state-run SAFAR

Delhi's air was unhealthy on Tuesday as the state government extended indefinitely its ban on construction activities, entry of trucks into the national capital till.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was 328 --'very poor'-- at 8 am, according to the state-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). Readings below 50 are considered safe, while anything above 300 is considered hazardous or 'severe'.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Monday said that the ban on construction activities will be reviewed on December 16. He also said that a proposal for the reopening of educational institutions has been sent to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which has been mandated by the Supreme Court to take a call on the reopening of schools and colleges.

Rai said the proposal has been sent for immediate reopening of schools and coaching centres for students in Class 6 and above, and in colleges. For children of Class 5 and below, the education department has suggested reopening schools from December 20, he said.

Delhi was this morning the world's most polluted city with an AQI of 340, said iQair, a website that tracks air pollution worldwide. The only other Indian cities in the list of the world's top ten most polluted cities were Mumbai and Kolkata at the fifth and eight spot with an AQI of 162 and 158, respectively.

Delhi's air quality in November was the worst in seven years, data showed. The national capital's air quality became worse after Diwali on November 4 as people violated a ban on bursting firecrackers while the pollution compounded due to an increase in stubble burning by farmers in areas adjoining the national capital.