Page 30 - Air Quality Index

Health ministry advisory asks states to make pollution plan for schools

Its recommendations include wet mopping of school floors, using of markers instead of chalks

Delhi breathes easy after rain, Diwali air quality unlikely to be severe

Delhi breathed easy on Friday after intermittent rain cleared the suffocating haze that had been lingering for more than 10 days and improved the city's AQI by over 150 points. The national capital's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 279, significantly improving from 437 on Thursday. The city experienced 'very poor' to 'severe' air quality for two weeks starting October 28. 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', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'. The air quality is expected to improve further due to wind speed favourable for the dispersion of pollutants. The AQI at any given time is the average of readings taken in the previous 24 hours. The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded 6 mm rainfall in the 24 hours ended at 8.30 am on Friday and 4.2 mm between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, the India ...

Cars equipped with air purifiers become latest draw for buyers In metros

Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Pune, which have been affected by higher levels of air pollution, are witnessing a strong demand for air purifiers

Delhi pollution: Farm fires in Punjab, other states have to be stopped - SC

The Supreme Court on Friday said that crop residue burning in Punjab and some other states adjacent to Delhi have to be stopped and solution has to found to reduce the pollution level in the national capital region (NCR). While hearing a matter relating to the debilitating air pollution in the Delhi-NCR, a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul observed there were several reports and committees on the pollution issue, but nothing was happening at the ground level. The bench, also comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, said the apex court wanted to see the results. The Supreme Court was informed that every endeavour was being made to bring farm fires under control. The top court is seized of a plea filed in 1985 by environmentalist M C Mehta on air pollution and the issue of crop residue burning had arisen during the hearing of the matter.

Punjab's Bathinda grapples with 'very poor' AQI due to stubble burning

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Bathinda on November 9 was 372, which is very poor.

Despite sudden showers, Delhi continues to struggle with 'severe' AQI

Delhi air pollution today: Parts of Delhi saw some respite due to rain, but the city largely continues to struggle with an AQI of over 400

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Pollution rising, India Inc gets into action to help employees breathe easy

Response to rising AQI: Firms offer low-cost EV loans, install air purifiers, allow hybrid work

Shinde to chair pollution review meeting; AQI drops in Mumbai after rain

The meeting is scheduled to be held at the chief minister's residence, Varsha Bungalow.

Delhi's AQI 'severe', smog continues to persist over parts of the capital

Delhi air quality today: AQI in Anand Vihar was recorded at 432 (severe category), while in the RK Puram area, the AQI stood at 453 (severe category)

Delhi govt to attempt inducing artificial rain to curb air pollution: Rai

The Delhi government will attempt to induce artificial rain through cloud seeding this month in an effort to combat air pollution in the national capital, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday. Rai said he held a meeting with scientists from IIT Kanpur who told him that cloud seeding could only be attempted if there were clouds or moisture in the atmosphere. "Experts anticipate that such conditions could develop around November 20-21. We have asked the scientists to prepare a proposal in this regard which will be submitted to the Supreme Court," the minister added. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department, told PTI that research is being conducted globally on artificial rain. "There have been a few attempts in India... in Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Globally, research is being conducted on artificial rain, which requires the basic requirement of clouds or moisture. Only under these conditions can it occur. "Certain nuclei ar

As AQI worsens, winter break in Delhi schools preponed for Nov 9-18

In view of air pollution in the national capital, the December winter break of all schools has been rescheduled and it will be now from November 9 to November 18, a circular of the Delhi Directorate of Education stated on Wednesday. Earlier, due to bad air quality, holidays were announced from November 3 to November 10. "In the wake of implementation of GRAP-IV measures due to Severe Air Quality prevailing in Delhi and seeing that no respite from such adverse weather conditions in near future is predicted by the IMO, the Winter Break for the session 2023-24 is ordered to be preponed so that schools can be totally closed and both children and teachers can stay at home," the circular stated "Accordingly, all schools shall observe Winter Break wef. 09th November 2023 (tomorrow) to 18th November 2023 (Saturday)," it stated. The air quality in Delhi and its suburbs dropped to the severe category again on Wednesday morning, with smoke from post-harvest paddy straw burning in neighbouring

Hisar admin bans burning garbage, waste material to check air pollution

The district administration of Hisar in Haryana on Wednesday banned the burning of garbage, leaves, plastic, rubber and other flammable materials to check air pollution. District Magistrate Uttam Singh said in an order that "due to the onset of adverse meteorological conditions in pre-winter and winter season, the air quality of Hisar has deteriorated". It is imperative to take immediate and effective measures for health protection from particulate matter and toxic gases in the air. Therefore, burning of any type of waste material in open areas and roads, etc is strictly prohibited, it said. Individuals, groups or entities found violating the order will be punished according to relevant legal provisions, the order further said. All municipal bodies, the state's Pollution Control Board and law enforcement agencies will ensure strict compliance with the order and monitor incidents of waste burning. Action will be taken against those found burning any type of waste material in ...

Maha air pollution crisis: CM Shinde calls for united efforts to curb issue

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said his government is making all efforts to curb rising pollution in Maharashtra and appealed for united efforts to make it happen. Speaking at a function after administering the pledge of 'pollution-free Diwali' to schoolchildren at Mantralaya, the state secretariat, Shinde said rising pollution levels have become a cause for global concern. The state government has focused on planting trees. Environment awareness campaigns are being conducted through Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and subsidies are being given for bamboo plantation, he said. Shinde said if children can make up their minds to celebrate a pollution-free Diwali, their parents will follow the same path. The CM's appeal comes at a time when Mumbai is witnessing rising air pollution levels. To control air pollution in Mumbai, the civic body has served notices to more than 100 contractors and real estate firms engaged in executing private and government projects, asking them to adhere

Delhi air quality 'severe', farm fires account for one-third pollution

Air quality in Delhi and its suburbs dropped to the severe category again on Wednesday morning, with smoke from post-harvest paddy straw burning in neighbouring states accounting for one-third of the air pollution in the national capital. The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 421, worsening from 395 at 4 pm on Tuesday. Despite a marginal dip, the concentration of PM2.5, fine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems, exceeded the government-prescribed safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by seven to eight times in the capital. It was 30 to 40 times the healthy limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Several cities across the Indo-Gangetic plains reported hazardous air quality. Neighbouring Ghaziabad (382), Gurugram (370), Noida (348), Greater Noida (474), and Faridabad (396) also reported hazardous air quality. According to data from the Decision Support System,

Delhi's air quality 'severe' with AQI in most parts of city above 400

Delhi air pollution today: The odd-even rule for vehicles is set to kick in from November 13, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, however, called the move 'all optics'

Delhi's air quality dips to 394, improves slightly to 'very poor' category

According to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital's AQI was 421 on Monday evening

TMS Ep558: EV subsidies, rural sales in Diwali, markets, AQI

Should the EV subsidies continue? Will this Diwali be as bright for rural India? How will Assembly elections in five states affect markets? What is AQI? All answers here

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Images show Indo-Gangetic Plains enveloped in smoky haze due to poor AQ

An air quality crisis gripped the Indo-Gangetic plains from Amritsar in Punjab to Purnia in West Bengal on Monday, causing inconvenience to approximately 40 per cent of the country's population residing in the region. Satellite images showed a layer of smoky haze blanketing the entire IGP region. Sri Ganganagar (AQI -- 310), Churu (308), Bharatpur (319), Bhiwadi (433), Dholpur (357), and Hanumangarh in Rajasthan; Faridabad (412), Fatehabad (422), Jind (381), Hisar (377), Bhiwani (335), Sonipat (417), and Gurugram (373) in Haryana recorded hazardous air quality on Monday. The air quality in Punjab, where a large number of farmers burn stubble in a bid to quickly prepare their fields for the next crop, was equally poor. Amritsar (316), Bhatinda (288), Jalandhar (222), Khanna (225), Ludhiana (282), and Mandi Gobindgarh (256) in the state recorded poor to very poor air quality. Ghaziabad (391), Greater Noida (420), Meerut (354), Bulandshahr (243), Hapur (332), Lucknow (251), Muzaffarna