Page 12 - Air Quality

'Delhi pollution due to BJP's bad politics': Atishi's 'don't hate' appeal

Delhi CM acknowledge the recent rise in air pollution and pollution in Yamuna river. However, she claimed that BJP's poor politics is the only reason behind the environmental crisis

Delhi AQI slips further: How 'cocktail of pollutants' reach your lungs

Delhi air quality today: Data from the Centre-backed Air Quality Early Warning System showed multiple weather monitoring stations in the national capital hovering in the 'red' mark between the 350-400

Delhi air quality worsens; Grap-II imposed in national capital: Updates

Delhi's air quality worsens as AQI reaches 317, prompting Grap-II measures to combat pollution and protect public health

Rise in respiratory disease cases due to air pollution, say experts

The central-run hospital Ram Manohar Lohia has also started running special OPD services for Air Pollution patients

CPCB imposes GRAP second stage in Delhi as daily average AQI hit 310 level

The Central Pollution Control Board on Monday invoked the second stage of the Graded Response Action Plan in the national capital amid deteriorating air quality levels, imposing restrictions on the use of coal and firewood as well as diesel generator sets. The Centre's Sub-Committee for operationalisation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will invoke an 11-point action plan as per Stage II of the revised GRAP in the entire National Capital Region from 8 am on Tuesday. The decision was taken after comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario in the region, an official statement said here. Parking fees will also be enhanced in the city under stage II of GRAP to discourage private transport, it added. Delhi recorded a daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 310, which falls in the 'very poor' category, on Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). There is a likelihood of the daily average AQI of Delhi staying in the 'very poor' category (between

Delhi's AQI improves to 'poor' category; political blame game erupts

A recent survey revealed that 36 per cent of the families in Delhi-NCR have one or more members experiencing pollution-related health problems

Delhi in red: Air quality dips further; many places log 'very poor' index

Delhi's neighbours Uttar Pradesh's Noida and Haryana's Gurugram also reeled from poor air quality levels. Delhi's Mundka logged one of the poorest AQIs at 377, which is very close to 'severe' mark

DPCC launches dust control portal for construction projects in Delhi

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has launched a "Dust Pollution Control Self-Assessment" portal mandating all construction and demolition projects in the national capital to register on it and upload regular dust control audits. In line with the directives issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on December 20, 2021, the DPCC now mandates that all construction and demolition (C&D) projects occupying a plot area of 500 square metre or more must register on a newly-developed web portal, the pollution control authority said in a notice. The portal is designed to facilitate online self-assessment and remote monitoring, ensuring that dust control measures are properly implemented across construction sites. It requires project proponents to conduct regular self-audits of dust control practices and submit fortnightly self-declarations, the notice said. Additionally, sites within the municipal areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) with plot sizes of 500

Winter is coming: Delhi air quality woes triggered; close to 'very poor'

The real-time data available with the Centre's air quality early warning system showed that Delhi had the worst air quality in India, compared to other major metropolitan cities

NDMC fines Rs 50,000 for dust pollution at construction sites in Delhi

With air quality dropping to "poor" levels in the city, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) carried out inspections at construction sites, issuing challans of Rs 50,000 for each violation of dust mitigation measures. Due to sustained poor Air Quality Index (AQI) for the past few days in Delhi, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage 1 was implemented on Tuesday. "The NDMC has constituted inspection of construction sites for enforcing dust mitigation measures, and as many as 30 challans of Rs 50,000 each (total Rs 15 lakh) have been issued as per the guidelines of National Green Tribunal (NGT)," an NDMC statement said on Wednesday. The civic body is taking different initiatives to reduce air pollution, and violators are fined for the violations by teams who carry out the inspection, supervise and monitor the action, the statement said. According to the statement, the civic body's Public Health Department has also issued 290 challans of Rs 48,747 to those who violate rule

500 km of bad roads: Delhi govt's increasing pollution woes

A recent survey conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi indicates that nearly 500 km of roads are in dilapidated state, significantly adding to dust pollution

As Delhi air quality turns 'red', here's what is prohibited under Grap-I

The air pollution control measures, as outlined in the 27-point Grap-I action plan, came into effect across the National Capital Region starting at 8 am on October 15

Delhi's air quality turns 'poor', GRAP stage 1 restrictions implemented

Restrictions under the first stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) came into force in the national capital on Tuesday as the air quality remained in the 'poor' category for the third consecutive day. Stage 1 of the GRAP, a set of winter-specific anti-pollution measures, focuses on controlling pollution through dust mitigation at construction sites, proper waste management, and regular road cleaning. It mandates strict checks on polluting vehicles, better traffic management and emission controls in industries, power plants and brick kilns. GRAP Stage 1 also bans the open burning of waste, limits the use of diesel generators and prohibits the use of coal or firewood in eateries. Air quality in Delhi has continued to remain in the 'poor' category, with a reading of 207 on Tuesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The city's AQI dipped to the 'poor' zone after Dussehra. The minimum temperature on Tuesday was recorded at 17.4 degrees Celsius, two notch

Grap stage 1 kicks in as Delhi registers 2nd consecutive day of 'poor' AQI

The Centre's air pollution control panel for Delhi-NCR on Monday directed state governments in the region to implement the first stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as the capital's air quality was in the 'poor' category for the second consecutive day. The Stage I of GRAP, a set of winter-specific anti-pollution measures, focuses on controlling pollution through dust mitigation at construction sites, proper waste management, and regular road cleaning. It mandates strict checks on polluting vehicles, better traffic management, and emission controls in industries, power plants, and brick kilns. The first stage also bans open burning of waste, limits the use of diesel generators, and prohibits the use of coal or firewood in eateries. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 234 (poor category) as of 4 pm on Monday. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)'s Sub-Committee, tasked with implementing GR

Delhi's air quality turns 'poor' after Dussehra, likely to improve soon

Delhi's air quality worsened to the 'poor' category on Sunday, the day after Dussehra, with the Centre deciding to closely monitor the situation before taking anti-air pollution measures under Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Effigies of demon king Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnad packed with firecrackers went up in flames at open grounds in the national capital during Dussehra celebrations on Saturday. Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 224 on Sunday, according to the 4 pm AQI bulletin from the Central Pollution Control Board. The Commission for Air Quality (CAQM) Sub-Committee reviewed the current air quality and weather forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), according to a statement. It said Delhi's air pollution had already started declining, dropping to 222 by 5 pm, and is expected to decline further. The IMD/IITM forecast also predicts air quality

Delhi breathing clean air despite Dussehra celebrations, AQI better: Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday that in spite of Dussehra celebrations in the capital, people are breathing clean air, and added the number of days with "good", "satisfactory", and "moderate" air quality is going up, indicating an improvement in managing pollution. Rai also said that Delhi's Air Quality Index has remained outside the "poor" category after Dussehra, however, as per the Central Pollution Control Board the city's air quality was recorded in the "poor" category with a reading of 225 at 12 pm. In a press conference on Sunday, Rai said every year after Dussehra, the air quality usually dips into the "poor" category, but this year Delhi is experiencing clean air. The environment minister said that over the past two years, Delhi has recorded 200 days of "good," "satisfactory," or "moderate" air quality between January and October 12, compared to just 109 such days in 2016. Rai said this is an indicator of progress in managing pollution, crediting the ..

Surat takes top spot in air quality rankings followed by Jabalpur, Agra

Surat has been ranked as the top major city in India for air quality improvements followed by Jabalpur and Agra. The Union Environment Ministry presented the National Clean Air City Awards during the Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 held at a national workshop celebrating the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies in Jaipur on Saturday. While Surat, Jabalpur and Agra secured the top three positions among cities with population of over 10 lakh, Firozabad (UP), Amravati (Maharashtra) and Jhansi (UP) were recognized as the best among cities with population between three lakh and 10 lakh. Raebareli (UP), Nalgonda (Telangana) and Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh) topped the list among the cities with populations under three lakh. Swachh Vayu Survekshan is an initiative by the ministry to rank cities based on the implementation of activities approved under the city action plan and air quality in cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). These cities were awarded for ...

Greenpeace India warns of poor air quality in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru

Three major cities in Karnataka -- Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru -- have registered deteriorating air quality as the air pollution is on the rise, said a Greenpeace India report on Saturday. The report, 'Spare the Air 2' flags serious health concerns as the average PM 2.5 and PM10 levels soar in 10 major cities of southern India, significantly exceeding the air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, is a type of air pollution that consists of tiny particles that are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter. PM10 is an air quality term for particulate matter that is 10 micrometers. The report has analysed the air quality standards of Hyderabad, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Mangaluru, Amravati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru, Mysuru and Puducherry. The lead researcher of the report Akanksha Singh said, "Clean air is fundamental to our health, yet this report reveals that particulate matter levels in all cities have ...

Delhi breathes clean air for 128 days in first half of 2024: Report

The national capital breathed clean air for 128 days of the first half of 2024, according to a Delhi government report. The report by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said that the "Good days' (good/satisfactory/moderate days together) during the January-July, 2024, period was 128. The number of 'good days' from August 1 to August 20 was 20, it said. The number of 'good days' referring to air quality, increased from 159 in 2018 to 206 in' 2023, it said. 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", and 401 and 500 "severe". The identified sources of air pollution are vehicular and industrial emissions, open burning and other combustion sources. The report cited various steps taken by the Delhi government to mitigate air pollution in the city. A total of 385 dedicated enforcement teams of the Transport Department and Traffic Police have been formed to

Wildfires growing under climate change, smoke threatens farmworkers: Study

As wildfires scorched swaths of land in the wine country of Sonoma County in 2020, sending ash flying and choking the air with smoke, Maria Salinas harvested grapes. Her saliva turned black from inhaling the toxins, until one day she had so much trouble breathing she was rushed to the emergency room. When she felt better, she went right back to work as the fires raged on. What forces us to work is necessity, Salinas said. We always expose ourselves to danger out of necessity, whether by fire or disaster, when the weather changes, when it's hot or cold. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires around the world, a new study shows that farmworkers are paying a heavy price by being exposed to high levels of air pollution. And in Sonoma County, the focus of the work, researchers found that a program aimed at determining when it was safe to work during wildfires did not adequately protect farmworkers. They recommended a series of steps to safeguard the worker