Delhi govt to run 10-day anti-open burning campaign as pollution spikes

Gopal Rai also appealed to all the agencies and resident welfare associations of Delhi to provide heaters to employees and guards on night duty

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has directed officials to run a special 10-day anti-open burning campaign in the national capital starting Tuesday in view of the spike in air pollution.

Delhi's air quality plunged to the severe category on Monday and the 24-hour average AQI stood at 410 at 4 pm. Pollution levels ameliorated to the very poor category on Tuesday morning at the overall AQI stood at 376 at 11 am.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severe.

"In view of the increasing pollution, instructions have been given to officials to run 'Anti Open Burning Special Campaign' for the next 10 days," Rai tweeted.

He said 611 teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Revenue Department, and other government agencies will take action on the ground.

The minister also appealed to all the agencies and resident welfare associations of Delhi to provide heaters to employees and guards on night duty.

The Centre's air quality panel on Monday decided not to invoke curbs under Stage III of the anti-air pollution action plan despite the situation in the national capital worsening to the 'severe' category.

The sub-committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) mandated to enforce anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) said the sudden spike in air pollution levels was temporary.

"Since the forecast does not predict any deterioration and the overall AQI of Delhi is predicted to further improve from tonight/ tomorrow, the GRAP sub-committee has unanimously decided not to invoke restrictions under Stage-III," the panel said in an order.

If the AQI is projected to reach the severe category, restrictive actions under Stage III are to be invoked at least three days in advance, according to GRAP.

Curbs under Stage III include a ban on non-essential construction and demolition, closure of stone crushers and mining activities in Delhi-NCR.