Page 31 - Delhi Air Quality

Centre revises air pollution control plan for Delhi-NCR, tightens curbs

The Centre's panel on Delhi-NCR air quality has issued a revised plan to tackle winter pollution, asking states to implement stricter measures when the air quality deteriorates and making it mandatory for schools to shift to hybrid learning on days with severe air pollution. Poor air quality, driven by unfavourable weather conditions, usually persists for long periods during winter, from November to January. During this time, Delhi frequently enforces restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which categorises air quality into four stages: Stage I (Poor) with AQI between 201 and 300, Stage II (Very Poor) between 301 and 400, Stage III (Severe) between 401 and 450, and Stage IV (Severe Plus) for AQI above 450. According to the revised plan, inter-state buses from NCR states, except those EVs and those running CNG or BS-VI diesel, will not be allowed to enter Delhi under Stage II. This provision earlier came into effect under Stage III. Resident welfare associations

Delhi AQI continues to remain 'poor'; residents relieved as cold wave eases

Cold wave eases in Delhi after temperatures dropped to 4 degrees Celsius on Thursday, moderate to poor AQI in city

AQI at 275: Delhi's air quality deteriorates, commission faces criticism

The Air Quality Early Warning System predicts Delhi's air quality will remain in the 'poor' category for the next two to three days

Delhi records coldest December morning in 3 yrs as temp drops to 4.5C

The city recorded its coldest December day in the last three years on Thursday as the minimum temperature dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius. The forecast predicts cold wave conditions to persist at isolated places until the weekend. The city recorded a low of 4.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday, 0.4 degrees below normal, compared to 4.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The temperature had dropped sharply from 5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. According to data, the minimum temperature did not drop below 4.9 degrees Celsius in December 2023 and 2022. The lowest minimum temperature recorded in December last year was 4.9 degrees Celsius on the 15th, while the lowest in 2022 was 5 degrees Celsius on the 26th. Cold wave conditions were observed at isolated places in Delhi, including Ayanagar and Pusa, where the temperatures dropped to 3.8 and 3.2 degrees Celsius respectively. According to the India Meteorological Department, cold wave conditions oc

Drone mist-spraying pilot project in hitch for high costs, limited results

A pilot project that involves the use of drones to spray mist at pollution hotspots has not been approved over the high cost and lack of measurable results, an official has said. The technology was proposed as part of Delhi's 21-point Winter Action Plan to combat worsening air quality. Officials have deemed the project costly and ineffective, stating it has failed to deliver significant, measurable improvements. "The technology is extremely expensive and does not provide noticeable advancements compared to existing methods, which are already yielding better results at a fraction of the cost," an official involved in the evaluation told PTI. On November 8, a demonstration of the project was conducted at Anand Vihar, one of Delhi's most polluted areas. During the demonstration, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai highlighted challenges posed by hotspots, such as narrow roads or congested areas where traditional modes of transport, such as trucks, cannot reach. "Pollution levels in

Delhi's air quality deteriorates amid cold wave; likely to remain 'poor'

Delhi's AQI dipped despite persisting winds of 8-10 kmph on Wednesday evening due to 'cold wave' conditions

Pollution levels drop across India; only 3 cities report 'very poor' AQI

Delhi's air quality witnessed a remarkable turnaround over the weekend, driven by fast winds and light rainfall, resulting in one of the cleanest starts to December in years

Delhi air quality improves a bit; AQI drops to 207, some areas 'moderate'

Improved air quality in Delhi as AQI drops to 207; Lodhi Road, Pusa among areas recording 'moderate' levels

204 projects face actions, 35 get closure notice for violating Grap norms

A total of 260 sites were flagged for dust violations, 204 faced Environmental Clearance action, and 35 received closure orders under the Graded Response Action Plan to combat Delhi's hazardous air quality, officials said on Tuesday. Authorities took action against 775 illegal dumping sites, sealed 259 diesel generators, and addressed more than 24,000 complaints during the peak implementation period, they said. In their ongoing efforts to combat severe pollution levels, Delhi's environmental bodies have enforced stringent measures under various stages of the GRAP. According to official data, in the construction and demolition (C&D) sector, 6,741 sites (=500 sqm) were inspected for compliance with dust mitigation norms, of which 260 were found non-compliant and flagged. Environmental Clearance was imposed on 204 projects (=500 sqm), while 35 projects were issued closure orders, officials said. Additionally, 974 inspections were carried out to identify illegal dumping sites, ...

Delhi's 'poor' air quality shows no improvement, AQI recorded at 224

Delhi's AQI continued to be in the 'poor' category, even as some areas in the city showed improved air quality

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Delhi's AQI remains 'poor', can Grap-IV restrictions be reintroduced?

Today, most areas across Delhi reported the "poor" quality air, however a few locations also recorded the "moderate" air quality

Delhi's air quality remains in 'Poor' category: Is worst over for capital?

The neighbouring cities of Gurugram and Noida are now breathing easy as their air quality hovers in the "moderate" category, while Ghaziabad continues to struggle with poor air quality

After brief respite, Delhi's air quality slips back to 'poor' with 233 AQI

After a brief respite of three days, Delhi's air quality dropped again to the 'poor' category on Saturday. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was recorded at 233 at 4 pm on Saturday, marking a deterioration from Friday's reading of 197, which fell in the 'moderate' category. The primary pollutants on Saturday were PM2.5 and PM10, with PM2.5 levels recorded at 93.2 g/m and PM10 levels at 185.4 g/m at 2 pm. These fine particles pose significant health risks as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Of the 38 air quality monitoring stations in the city, two reported air quality in the 'very poor' category on Saturday, 30 were in the 'poor' category, and the rest recorded 'moderate' air quality, according to the Sameer app. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, air quality in the city will likely remain in the 'poor' category on Sunday and Monday, while it is expected to deteriorate to 'very poor' on Tuesday. The

Delhi's air in 'poor' category with AQI of 219, smog covers key NCR areas

Delhi's air quality worsened to the 'poor' category with an AQI of 219, smog blanketed NCR; authorities scaled down pollution measures from Grap-IV to Grap-II

Punjab, Haryana impose Rs 2.3 cr penalties on farmers for stubble burning

Punjab and Haryana have imposed fines exceeding Rs 2.1 crore and Rs 21 lakh respectively, on farmers for stubble burning in 2024, with more than 50 per cent of penalties collected

Delhi AQI reaches 186 as authorities ease Grap-III and IV pollution curbs

As the air quality improved to 'moderate' from 'poor,' it is expected that it will continue for the next two to three days as most areas in Delhi reported moderate air quality this morning

As CAQM revokes Grap-4, Delhi schools to resume classes in physical mode

In line with the CAQM's directive to revoke Grap-IV and Grap-III, the Delhi government's Directorate of Education issued an order to resume all classes in all schools to be held in physical mode

Delhi’s AQI below 200 for the first time in 50 days! Here’s what you need to know

Delhi’s air quality saw a big improvement today, with the AQI dropping to 161, on December 5. Watch the video to know more.

Centre's air quality panel revokes Grap stage 4 curbs in Delhi-NCR

Delhiites breathed cleaner air for the second consecutive day on Thursday as the AQI was recorded in the "moderate" category with a reading of 165. Restrictions under Stage 4 of the GRAP were lifted and replaced with the Stage-2 measures. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was recorded at 165 at 4 pm, registering a slight improvement from 178 on Wednesday. It marks a significant improvement as on Tuesday, the AQI was recorded in the "poor" category with a reading of 268, compared to 280 on Monday and 285 on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) data. For the month of December, the city has not seen such clean air since December 14, 2022, when the AQI was 163. In comparison, the lowest AQI recorded in December 2023 was 286, according to the CPCB. The Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to shift to the Stage-2 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Thursday. As a result, severa