Delhi CM urges states, SC and NGT to do something about smoke from stubble burning

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday urged neighbouring states as well as the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal to "do something" about stubble burning the smoke emanating from which chokes Delhi during the winters.

The air pollution in Delhi is worsening due to the smoke from outside, he said.

"I again urge all the governments to please do something about it. I request all the institutions - Supreme Court, NGT - to do something so that the health of the people is not affected," Kejriwal said.

The chief minister has held stubble burning in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab responsible for deteriorating air quality in Delhi.

"It's just the beginning, reports say that from last week of October to mid November, pollution will rise," he said at a press conference.

Expressing concern about the health of Delhi people, Kejriwal said it was for the first time that the air quality in Delhi was in "good" category during the past four months.

He said the distribution of anti-pollution masks at large scale will begin within a week.

The Delhi government has announced its action plan, including measures like odd-even road rationing scheme, to reduce the impact on air quality due to stubble burning.

The odd-even scheme will come into force from November 4 and last till November 15.

Stricter measures under Graded Response Action Plant will come into force in Delhi-NCR on Tuesday, as per Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority direction.

Pollution levels in the national capital reduced slightly on Monday, a day after air quality in several parts of the city plunged to the "very poor" category.

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi touched the 301 mark, which falls in the "very poor" category, on Sunday night, according to the data from the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).