Page 34 - Air Pollution

Delhi air quality remains 'severe'; cold waves and fog reduce visibility

Travellers in Delhi face delays as dense fog hits flight and rail operations amid severe air quality conditions

Most cities on path to achieve national clean air target; Varanasi leads

The government allocated Rs 9,631 crore to reduce the levels of particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller by 40 per cent in 131 cities by 2026 from the 2017 levels

Delhi AQI: City continues to grapple with very poor air quality, low temp

Delhi's temperature for the day is likely to linger at the lower end of the scale around 11 degrees Celsius

MCD undertakes 19 sealing actions following revocation of Grap-III

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has undertaken 37 demolition and 19 sealing actions in last two days after restrictions under anti-pollution measure GRAP-III were lifted, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday. Demolition actions were suspended after the enforcement of Graded Response Action Plan-III in December last year and were revoked on Monday following visible improvement in Delhi's air quality. The MCD carried out an anti-encroachment and sealing drive from January 2 to January 3 in areas such as Bhatti, Mandi, Burari, Jaitpur, Jamia Nagar, Nangloi, Govindpuri, Mahabalipuram (Bhatti), Vasant Kunj, Kamla Nagar, and Model Town, the statement said. Over the last three months, 1,204 cases of unauthorised constructions have been registered. A total of 989 demolition, 322 sealing and 68 prosecution actions have been initiated and complaints lodged with police, the civic body said. According to the statement, six major actions against the illegal plotting/ ...

Delhi AQI continues to be very poor after Stage III of Grap norms revoked

Delhi pollution news today: The restrictions under the Stage-III of Grap norms were lifted in the capital on Monday as the AQI continues to remain below 400

Centre revokes restrictions set under Stage-III of Grap in Delhi-NCR

The Centre on Monday ordered the revocation of anti-pollution restrictions under Stage-III of GRAP in the entire Delhi-NCR with immediate effect. The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, met on January 1 following improvement in air quality. The sub-committee of CAQM revoked the Stage-III of GRAP in view of the forecasts by the IMD/IITM for meteorological conditions and air quality index of Delhi, officials said. According to the forecast, the AQI of Delhi has been progressively improving and has been recorded as 346 at 4:O0 PM which is about 55 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-III actions (Delhi AQI 401-450) and there is a likelihood of sustaining the improvement in AQI. Furthermore, the forecast does not indicate any deterioration further and there is a likelihood of the AQI improving while remaining in Ve

Kolkata's air worsens on New Year's Day due to bursting of firecrackers

The air quality in Kolkata worsened on New Year's Day, mainly due to the bursting of firecrackers at midnight, an official of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) said. Immediately after the midnight celebrations, the air quality index (PM 2.5) turned 250 in some southern and northern parts of the city, with smog reminiscent of Kali Puja night. However, it dipped slightly on Monday morning but some places such as Ballygunge and Jadavpur still experienced poor quality air of AQI 281 till 1 pm, the official said. Air monitoring stations at Victoria Memorial recorded marginally better AQI at 199, followed by 161 at Rabindra Sarobar and 152 at Bidhannagar, he said. While an AQI of 200 and above is classified as 'poor', the readings between 100 and 199 are categorised as 'moderate', both causing breathing discomfort to people with lung and heart diseases. Bursting of firecrackers coupled with particulate matters hanging in the air in winter, plus more number of cars hitting

2023: NGT cracks whip to spur officials to strive for cleaner air, water

As large swathes of India gasped for breath, choking on air laden with contaminants, the National Green Tribunal grappled with a wide range of environmental issues, including pollution of the Ganga and quality and quantity of groundwater and air pollution in 2023. It went to the extent of imposing huge penalties on states like Delhi and Bihar for poor liquid and solid waste management. In February, the tribunal directed the Delhi government to pay Rs 2,232 crore as environmental compensation for improper management of solid and liquid waste, while in May it imposed a staggering Rs 4,000 crore compensation on Bihar. The green panel also passed orders to check over-exploitation of natural resources. It took suo motu (on its own) cognisance of industrial and environmental disasters, and awarded compensation to the victims. A highlight of the tribunal's directions involved restoring the pristine sanctity of rivers, many of which are venerated entities like the Ganga and Yamuna. Express

Delhi recorded the most polluted December in 2023 in the last five years

However, the government data showed that overall, 2023 had the best air quality since 2018, barring 2020 when the pollution was low owing to the country-wide lockdown

LIVE: Section 144 imposed in Noida, Greater Noida for Dec 31, Jan 1

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Delhi BJP leaders hold protests against AAP govt over air pollution

Wearing oxygen masks, Delhi BJP leaders and workers held protests at four places in the national capital on Saturday morning against the AAP government over the air pollution in the city. The party's leaders said the protests were held at the ITO crossing, near the India Gate, the roundabout near the Le Meridian Hotel and the 11 Murti roundabout. Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari and Delhi BJP general secretary Kamaljeet Sehrawat joined the protest at the 11 Murti Chowk, they said. Delhi BJP general secretaries Harsh Malhotra and Yogendra Chandolia joined the protests at the ITO crossing and the Le Meridian roundabout respectively. Senior Delhi BJP leader Rajiv Babbar joined the demonstration at India Gate, they added. The Centre on December 22 ordered a ban on non-essential construction work and plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in the Delhi-NCR amid worsening air quality in the region. GRAP is the Centre's air pollution control plan implemented in the region

Dense fog; flights, trains cancelled: Delhi wakes up to inclement Wednesday

While the overall AQI continued to remain 'very poor' at 383 on Wednesday morning, parts of the national capital witnessed the air quality dip to 'severe'

LIVE news: BJP national secretary Anupam Hazra removed from his post

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Delhi air quality: AQI in several parts of capital 'very poor' on Tuesday

Delhi air quality update: Delhi's AQI is likely to deteriorate and reach the 'severe' category on December 27, the Early Warning System (EWS) predicted

LIVE: Institutions we are setting up will give us new direction, says PM

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LIVE: Priyanka Gandhi replaced as UP in-charge in Congress reshuffle

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New Delhi's AQI recorded under 'severe' category on Saturday morning

The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital on Saturday morning was recorded under 'severe' category, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said. The AQI in the national capital was recorded at 447, which comes under the severe' category. An Air Quality Index (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 Centre on Friday ordered a ban on non-essential construction work and plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR amid worsening AQI in the region. Unfavourable meteorological conditions, including fog and haze, with low wind speed are the major causes behind this sudden spike in Delhi's daily average AQI, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, said. Re-invoking curbs under Stage-III of the Graded

Delhi pollution: Grap stage III re-invoked amid worsening air quality

The Centre on Friday ordered a ban on non-essential construction work and plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR amid worsening air quality in the region. Unfavourable meteorological conditions including fog and haze with low wind speed are the major causes for a sudden spike in Delhi's daily average air quality index (AQI), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, said in an order. Delhi's overall AQI is steadily rising since this morning. It stood at 397 at 10 am and 409 at 4 pm. Re-invoking curbs under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the CAQM ordered a ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing, and mining in Delhi-NCR. Construction work related to national security or defense, projects of national importance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, .

Delhi air quality: AQI in parts of the capital rises to 'severe' on Friday

Delhi air quality update: The national capital's AQI would fluctuate between 'very poor' and poor' in the next four days

NCAP funds remain largely unused in Delhi-NCR cities, govt data shows

Cities in Delhi-NCR and covered under the National Clean Air Programme have utilised less than 40 per cent of the funds allocated to curb air pollution levels, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. According to data presented by Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey, the central government released Rs 428.61 crore to Delhi, Noida, Alwar, Meerut, Faridabad and Ghaziabad between 2019-20 and 2023-24. Of this, only Rs 170.58 crore (around 40 per cent) has been utilised. Delhi received Rs 38.22 crore but utilised only Rs 10.77 crore. Similarly, Noida utilised only Rs 0.95 crore of the Rs 26.42 crore allocated to it under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Alwar utilised a meagre Rs 0.04 crore from its allocation of Rs 15 crore. Meerut and Ghaziabad, receiving funds under the 15th Finance Air Quality Performance Grant, utilised Rs 81.93 crore and Rs 76.89 crore from their allocations of Rs 139.19 crore and Rs 136.25 crore, respectively. The NCAP, laun