Page 13 - Air Pollution

Delhiites head out as air pollution levels spike post Diwali celebrations

The air quality index (AQI) in the city spiked, prompting many to leave the city for a short while, to resorts outside, or even to places with better AQI such as Corbett, Bhimtal, and Dehradun

NDMC launches intensive drive to curb air pollution in Lutyens' Delhi

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has launched an intensive drive to tackle rising air pollution levels, deploying its manpower and machinery round-the-clock to improve the city's air quality. NDMC has rolled out multiple measures focused on dust suppression, smog reduction, greening, and citizen participation, an statement from the Office of the Vice Chairperson said on Tuesday. Four mechanical road sweeping machines are cleaning around 220 km of roads daily, with additional CNG and battery-operated sweepers being procured to expand coverage, Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal said. Eight mobile anti-smog guns are operating daily across major roads, while more units are planned for NDMC and private buildings. Mist spray systems have been installed on Lodhi Road and will soon be extended to Shanti Path and Africa Avenue. Night cleaning of footpaths has also begun in Connaught Place, Khan Market, and Sarojini Nagar to reduce dust pollution. NDMC has deployed nine water tankers

Air pollution alert: What to do immediately when AQI turns unhealthy

As air quality plummets across cities, doctors warn of rising respiratory and heart risks. Here's how to protect yourself immediately from pollution-related cough, fatigue, and long-term health damage

Delhi's air turns toxic | 36 of 38 zones in red: What went wrong with 'Green Diwali'? | Delhi aqi

A morning after the lights, Delhi wakes up to suffocating smog and hazardous air. Despite Supreme Court-regulated “green crackers,” the city’s air quality plummets

Delhi breathes 'very poor' air on Diwali morning; Stage II curbs imposed

Delhi-NCR records 'very poor' air quality with AQI above 300 on Diwali; CM Rekha Gupta urges citizens to use only green crackers in the city

GRAP Stage 2 curbs kick in across NCR as Delhi's air turns 'very poor'

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR as the city's air quality slipped into the "very poor" category, with the AQI crossing 300 mark. The move came after the Sub-Committee on GRAP on Saturday reviewed the worsening pollution levels and forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), which warned of further deterioration in the coming days. "The AQI of Delhi has shown an increasing trend since morning and has been recorded as 296 at 4 pm and 302 at 7 pm," the CAQM said, directing authorities to implement all Stage II measures with immediate effect, in addition to Stage I actions already in force since October 14. The Centre's air quality panel also asked all implementing agencies to keep strict vigil, particularly on dust mitigation and to ensure compliance with targeted timelines laid down under the comprehensive policy to curb a

Delhi's air quality worsens on Diwali eve as 24 stations slip into red zone

Delhi's air quality inched close to the "very poor" category on Sunday as pollution levels continued to rise. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 296 at 4 pm, placing it in the "poor" category. An AQI reading between 301 and 400 falls in the "very poor" category. Out of the 38 monitoring stations in the national capital, 12 reported air quality in the "very poor" range. Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 430, followed by Wazirpur (364), Vivek Vihar (351), Dwarka (335), and RK Puram (323). Other areas such as Siri Fort, Dilshad Garden, and Jahangirpuri reported an AQI of 318. Punjabi Bagh stood at 313, Nehru Nagar at 310, Ashok Vihar at 305, and Bawana at 304, CPCB data showed. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 33.3 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degrees above the season's average, while the minimum temperature settled at 20.6 degrees Celsius, 2.2 degrees above normal, according to the India Meteorological ...

Delhi air remains poor for 5th day, 9 stations in red zone ahead of Diwali

Delhi's air quality continued to deteriorate on Saturday, remaining in the "poor" category for the fifth consecutive day, with nine monitoring stations falling in the red zone of the "very poor" category as pollution levels spiked ahead of Diwali. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 268 at 4 pm, placing it in the "poor" category. Within the NCR region, Ghaziabad recorded a "very poor" AQI of 324, while Noida and Gurugram remained in the "poor" category with AQIs of 298 and 258, respectively. Out of the 38 monitoring stations in the capital, nine reported air quality in the "very poor" category, with some locations inching towards the "severe zone. Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 389, followed by Wazirpur (351), Bawana (309), Jahangirpuri (310), Okhla (303), Vivek Vihar (306), Dwarka (310), and Siri Fort (307), according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to the

Delhi air quality remains 'poor' ahead of Diwali, temperatures dips

The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 19.6 degrees Celsius, 1.2 notches above the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Relative humidity was recorded at 87 per cent at 8.30 am. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 32 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. The weather department has forecast mist and fog on Saturday and Sunday. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'poor' category, with a reading of 252 at 9 am, Central Pollution Control Board data showed. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

Diwali 2025: How asthma and COPD patients can protect their lungs from smog

As pollution peaks this Diwali, pulmonologists share essential tips for people with asthma, COPD, and chronic bronchitis to stay safe, breathe easier, and enjoy the festivities without fear

Diwali 2025: How to protect your lungs and breathe easy amid toxic air

Health experts share simple, science-backed ways to avoid cough, wheezing, and breathlessness as pollution levels soar across Indian cities during Diwali

Delhi's first cloud seeding trial likely after Diwali, awaiting IMD nod

Delhi's much-anticipated first trial of artificial rain through cloud seeding will be held after Diwali, once the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) gives a green light, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. During a media briefing on Wednesday, Sirsa said that pilots have already completed trial flights over the area where the cloud seeding operation is planned. The aircraft have been fully equipped for the process and the crew is trained and familiar with the region, he added. "The entire setup is ready from permissions to pilot training. The aircraft are fitted with cloud seeding equipment, and pilots have flown over the target areas to prepare. Now, we are just waiting for the IMD's approval," he said. The first trial is expected to take place the day after Diwali or shortly thereafter, depending on suitable weather conditions. The Delhi government's cloud seeding project -- a major commitment by the BJP-led administration -- has been postponed multiple times d

Stubble burning: Will extended rains this year cut pollution or worsen it?

Punjab produces about 20 million tonnes of stubble annually, while Haryana produces about 8 million tonnes of paddy stubble

SC allows 5 days trial for green fire crackers in Delhi-NCR; reserves order

CJI-led bench has allowed the bursting and sale of NEERI-approved green firecrackers for five days during Diwali in Delhi-NCR, with strict time limits and enforcement measures to curb pollution

Delhi govt launches innovation challenge of ₹50 lakh to curb air pollution

The Delhi government has announced cash rewards of up to Rs 50 lakh for innovators and researchers who develop effective and scalable solutions to curb air pollution in the city. During a press conference on Friday, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa launched an innovation challenge for pollution reduction solutions, inviting individuals, startups, and research institutions to submit ideas aimed at reducing particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) emissions. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), which is spearheading the programme, has invited proposals from innovators, technology developers, R&D institutions, universities, and registered entities across India. The challenge will focus on two main areas - reducing emissions from BS-IV or below BS-IV vehicles and capturing PM2.5 and PM10 particles from the ambient air, Sirsa said. The selection process will involve three stages: a preliminary scrutiny by the DPCC, a technical review and field trials by an ...

Delhi's air pollution forecasts miss PM2.5 levels by up to 35%, says CEEW

Delhi's Air Quality Early Warning System underpredicts PM2.5 levels by 30-35% due to outdated emission inventories, highlighting need for regular updates to improve forecasts and decision-making

Asian carbon capture push may add 25 bn tonnes of emissions by 2050: Report

Asian countries' growing support for carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce fossil fuel emissions could result in nearly 25 billion tonnes of additional greenhouse gases by 2050, undermining the Paris Agreement and exposing their economies to risks, according to a new report released on Monday. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology designed to trap carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from sources such as power plants and industrial facilities, prevent them from entering the atmosphere, and store them underground in geological formations. The study by Climate Analytics, a global climate science and policy institute, assessed current and prospective CCS deployment in China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, which together account for more than half of global fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. It said emissions from many Asian economies, led by India and other developing countries in South and Southeast Asia, show no

Delhi air pollution system predicted very poor air quality at 80% accuracy

Delhi's air pollution forecasting system could predict "very poor and above" air quality days with more than 80 per cent accuracy in the last two winters, according to a new study published on Wednesday. The study by Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said the city's Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) successfully forecast 83 out of 92 "very poor and above" episodes (air quality index above 300) in winter 2023-24, and 54 out of 58 such days in 2024-25. The system also improved in predicting the severe pollution days (AQI above 400). While it managed to correctly flag just one out of 15 such days in 202324, the number jumped to five out of 14 in the following winter. "The high accuracy of Delhi's early warning systems is a positive sign. Updated emission inventories can improve the accuracy further. It would enable us to have a better understanding of what pollutes Delhi's air and in what quantities," said Mohammad Rafiuddin, programme lead at CEEW. He added that

Datanomics: Punjab still at top in stubble burning, MP closing in

The share of Madhya Pradesh has seen a steep surge in farm fire incidents in recent years, accounting for 35 per cent of total in the country

SC asks CAQM, CPCB, states to submit air pollution control plan in 3 weeks

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the CAQM, CPCB and state pollution control boards to come out with measures to prevent air pollution within three weeks, ahead of the onset of winter when pollution levels spike. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran also pulled up states over vacancies in their pollution control boards and asked states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab to fill them in three months. The bench also passed similar directions to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It, however, granted six months for filling up promotional posts in state pollution control boards, CAQM and CPCB. The CAQM is a statutory body formed by the Centre and its main goal is to manage and improve air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) and its adjoining areas, which include parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The bench was hearing a suo m