Page 12 - Air Pollution

Delhi's air quality in Nov better than 2024; DPCC aims to avert Grap-III

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Saturday said that coordinated efforts by various government departments to curb air pollution in the national capital have started showing visible results, with the city's air quality remaining better on most days this November compared to the same period last year. Officials said that Delhi has so far avoided reaching the pollution levels that had triggered the implementation of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) around the same time in 2023. "Out of the last seven days, six have recorded better air quality than the corresponding days last year. This has been possible because of timely and coordinated action taken across departments," an official said during a press briefing. During the briefing, officials mentioned that multiple agencies have received directives to control dust and vehicular pollution, as well as to enforce strict regulations against biomass burning and industrial emissions. "Mechanical road sweepi

Govt staff to get staggered work hours from Nov 15 due to smog: Delhi CM

According to the new timings, Delhi government offices will now operate from 10 am to 6.30 pm, while Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices will work from 8.30 am to 5 pm

Delhi air quality deteriorates to 'very poor' category, AQI rises to 312

Doctors have urged residents, particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activity during peak pollution hours

Delhi's annual battle with air pollution: Aiims issues health advisory

As Delhi's air quality plunges into 'very poor' levels post-Diwali, Aiims has issued a video advisory on how to stay safe from toxic air and limit exposure to pollution

Satellite hunt for 'superpollutant' receives $100 million new funding

The Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative, being announced Thursday as world leaders gather in Brazil for a summit ahead of the COP30 climate conference, aims to maintain an increasing focus on methane

Delhi pollution today: AQI remains 'poor' despite anti-smog measures

Meteorologists have attributed the rise in pollution to a western disturbance that has reduced wind speed and caused atmospheric stagnation

Is your balcony a lung risk? Pigeon exposure can cause irreversible damage

Across balconies, rooftops, and public spaces, pigeons shed droppings and feathers that become airborne dust. Doctors say urban exposure is increasingly linked to serious, irreversible lung damage

Delhi's air quality improves marginally but remains in 'poor' category

Delhi pollution AQI today: Meteorologists have attributed the rise in pollution to western disturbance that has reduced wind speed and caused atmospheric stagnation

Delhi air pollution: Can your body get used to it? Doctors debunk myth

Feeling 'used to' Delhi's smog doesn't mean you're safe. Experts warn your lungs never adapt to pollution; they just get desensitised as long-term damage quietly builds up

Delhi AQI: Thick smog blankets city as AQI breaches 400, air turns 'severe'

Stagnant winds and a western disturbance are trapping pollutants over Delhi, pushing AQI beyond 400 in parts of NCR and prompting health warnings for residents

AAP slams Delhi govt over pollution, calls it public health emergency

The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday slammed the Delhi government for "complete failure" in controlling pollution, saying that there was a "public health emergency" in the national capital. There was no immediate reaction from the BJP. In a post on X, former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the "four-engine government has ruined everything". "I appeal to the people of Delhi to take care of themselves - this government is not going to do anything for you," he posted on X in Hindi. Senior AAP leaders said the capital is "gasping for breath" while BJP ministers remain busy with election campaigns in Bihar. AAP's Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj said residents can no longer breathe the city's "poisonous" air, which has forced 'Warrior Moms' -- a collective of mothers fighting for children's right to breathe clean air -- to write to the health minister. "...during this health emergency, Delhi's health minister and other BJP ministers have been busy in Bihar for the past severa

Delhi air pollution: Are marathon, cycling events in toxic air a good idea?

Doctors warn that running or cycling in Delhi's polluted air could trigger inflammation, heart irregularities, and breathing distress - and advise cancelling events when AQI exceeds 300

Several air monitoring stations not working: SC seeks CAQM report

The CAQM's lawyer said that the Central Pollution Control Board has the data and will file the relevant report, while CAQM has already submitted one on preventive actions

Smog chokes Delhi as pollution remains high despite anti-smog efforts

Even after strict curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan, Delhi continues to choke under a thick blanket of smog, with AQI levels staying stubbornly in the 'very poor' zone

How the air you breathe could be silently harming your brain health

Studies increasingly find links between higher concentrations of certain pollutants and the prevalence of dementia

Best of BS Opinion: India, US must push for a quick trade agreement

Today's opinion pieces look at the US tariff issues, NCR's air pollution hazard, India's diversity as a counter to AI, and the need for knowledge-industry linkages

NCR's air pollution problem needs hard decisions from states, Centre

The Delhi government's well-meant cloud-seeding experiment to contain pollution must be viewed in this context

Delhi's AQI slips to 'very poor'; visibility drops amid smoke and fog

With smoke and fog reducing visibility across the city, Delhi's air quality deteriorated further on Saturday, falling into the 'very poor' category with an overall AQI reading of 303 compared to 218 a day earlier. The city's primary weather station at Safdarjung reported a visibility of 900 metres with calm winds, while Palam recorded a visibility of 1,300 metres with south-southwesterly winds at 4 kmph. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), shallow fog mixed with smoke prevailed over both stations. An IMD weather expert noted that the reduced visibility was due to the combined effect of smoke and fog. Meanwhile, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city's average Air Quality Index stood at 303 at 4 pm, indicating a sharp decline in air quality. Wazirpur reported the highest pollution level in the city with an AQI of 383, placing it in the 'very poor' category, according to data on the CPCB's Sameer app. Out of 38 monitoring stations in th

No entry to non-Delhi BS-III goods vehicles from today: Key details

Officials estimate that around 50,000-70,000 vehicles in the NCR region do not meet BS-VI standards, and those below BS-III standards will be turned back at the borders

Best of BS Opinion: The night, the noise, and the need for balance

Today's pieces look at public debt and economic stability, trade as strategic leverage, the continuing unemployment crisis in Bihar, and how pollution has turned the Milky Way's light into an irritant