Delhi: Pollution has started increasing, says Kejriwal as AQI reaches 171

With the withdrawal of monsoon, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday informed that pollution has started increasing in the national capital as the air quality index (AQI) surged to 171.

"Pollution has started increasing. 09 Oct- AQI - 171 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 200 - Moderate) PM10 - 197 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 250 - Moderate) PM2.5 - 69 (0 to 30 - Good, 31 to 60 - Satisfactory, 61 to 90 - Moderate)," Kejriwal tweeted.

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.

The Chief Minister has been tweeting Delhi's daily air quality since September 18 and warned that it will deteriorate from mid-October due to stubble burning.

"Del air quality will deteriorate from mid-Oct (stubble burning). State govts hv not taken action to support their farmers On its own, Del air is clean. On 18 Sep- AQI- 69 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory) PM10- 67 PM2.5 - 27 (0 to 30 Good, 31 to 60 Satisfactory)," Kejriwal tweeted on September 18.

In a tweet on Saturday, Kejriwal said that the Haryana government should also help its farmers and make bio-decomposer solution free.

"Haryana government should also help its farmers like Delhi government. Like Delhi, spraying of solution should be made free in all the fields of Haryana. Then there will be no need to burn the stubble," he wrote.

The Delhi government in association with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa developed a bio-decomposer capsule that can be converted into a solution to be sprayed on crop stubble in the farmlands. Once sprayed on the fields, the solution decomposes the stubble into compost in 20 days.

On October 4, Kejriwal announced a 10-point "winter action plan" to tackle air pollution in the national capital. While making the announcement, he said, "Currently, the air pollution is under control in Delhi but it will start rising with stubble burning in the neighbouring states in winters. The central government and neighbouring states did not do anything to check stubble burning by farmers which will lead to air pollution in the winter season."

In order to curb the problem of air pollution arising from the Construction and Demolition (C & D) activities in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality and Management (CAQM) issued directions to governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to set up a 'Web Portal' for monitoring compliance of dust mitigation measures by project proponents.

Keeping in view the dangerous condition of Delhi's air pollution during Diwali for the last three years, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a complete ban on the storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers.

There will be a complete ban on the bursting and sale of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2022, in Delhi, as per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

The Delhi government has also launched the 'Advanced Green War Room' and 'Green Delhi App' app for people to send in their complaints into the problems pertaining to 10 kinds of pollution throughout the winter season.

In September this year, the Centre has released Rs 496 crore to subsidize machinery required in-situ management of crop residue with an aim to address air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) due to stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary of Union Ministry of Agriculture had informed that the Centre released Rs 496 crore for Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab to subsidise machinery required in-situ management of crop residue during 2021-22.