Page 33 - Latest Updates on Delhi air quality

Delhi AQI in severe category; Rai announces work from home for govt staff

The AQI of Gurugram stood at 402 and it was 434 in Ghaziabad

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Delhi's traders face 20% loss as pollution, curbs deter consumers: Cait

Cait Secretary General Khandelwal urges govt to involve trade associations in policy-making, adopt electric trucks for logistics, and offer financial support to businesses

Is Delhi's AQI 500 or 1500? Here is why you find conflicting readings

Confused by Delhi's AQI readings of 500 and 1,500? Different scales and methods explain the gap. Here's why both figures capture a harsh reality

Delhi pollution: CJI permits virtual hearings, rules out full online shift

Amid Delhi's pollution crisis, CJI Sanjiv Khanna allowed lawyers to appear online but resisted calls to fully shift Supreme Court operations online, citing flexibility

Decision on work-from-home, odd-even to be taken soon: Gopal Rai

A decision on implementing work-from-home measures and the odd-even scheme will be taken soon to tackle the city's worsening air quality, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday. Speaking to PTI, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said, People, including children and senior citizens, are struggling to breathe and we deeply regret this situation. The air quality in the national capital has remained in the severe plus category since Sunday, with AQI readings consistently above 450. On the possibility of implementing work-from-home measures, Rai stated, We will take a decision on this soon." The minister added that the government has already imposed significant restrictions on vehicles under GRAP-IV. We are analyzing the impact of these measures. If the analysis shows a positive outcome, we will take further decisions accordingly, he said. Calling the current situation a medical emergency, Rai emphasised the need for collective action. This is a time of medical emergen

BJP protests against AAP govt, distributes masks amid pollution crisis

BJP leaders on Tuesday staged a protest against the AAP government and distributed face masks at the most polluted areas of the city, Anand Vihar and ITO, as Delhi continued to grapple with severe air pollution. During an awareness-cum-mask distribution programme at Anand Vihar, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva slammed Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi, alleging the government's inaction in addressing the pollution crisis. "The people of Delhi are struggling for their breaths while Kejriwal and Atishi are defending AAP government in Punjab where crop stubble burning is choking the national capital. The condition of damaged roads and dust pollution has worsened the situation further," Sachdeva claimed. Former Union Minister Vijay Goel staged a protest at ITO, and alleged that the AAP government in Delhi has failed to help the people struggling against the persisting hazardous air in the city. Goel questioned how many more years it will take for .

Delhi govt seeks Centre's nod for artificial rain amid rising pollution

Amid alarmingly high pollution levels in Delhi, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday urged the Centre to convene an emergency meeting to tackle the issue and said it is the moral responsibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter. Addressing a press conference, Rai said the Centre has not acted on the Delhi government's repeated requests to allow artificial rain in the national capital and he will again write to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. "Delhi is under GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) Stage IV restrictions, and we are taking every possible step to reduce vehicular and industrial pollution. Restrictions have been imposed on private vehicles and trucks, aiming to curb the number of vehicles entering the city. "We are consulting specialists to explore measures to reduce the smog. One of the solutions under consideration is artificial rain, which can help settle pollutants and clear the air," Rai said. The Union environment minister has

CJI urges judges to allow virtual hearings due to rising pollution in Delhi

Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday said all judges have been asked to allow virtual hearings wherever possible in view of the severe pollution levels in the national capital region. As soon as the bench comprising the CJI and Justice Sanjay Kumar assembled, lawyers, including Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Kapil Sibal, referred to the worsening pollution in Delhi and NCR and sought immediate measures to deal with it. We have told all the judges to allow virtual hearings wherever possible, the CJI said. Pollution is getting out of control, Sibal said. He was supported by various lawyers that also included Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Gopal Sankaranarayanan It needs to go down. The message should go to other courts, Sibal added. The solicitor general said the top court, as a matter of principle, should go virtual. We have given the message to accommodate everybody. Moreover, online is anyway available," the CJI said. On Monday, the top court took note of

Delhi's toxic air: AQI hits 500, schools, colleges shift to online classes

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI levels in several locations, including Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, and Bawana, reached the 500-mark early Tuesday morning

As Delhi chokes, Shashi Tharoor asks if the capital deserves a new home

'Our government has been witnessing this nightmare for years and does nothing about it,' said Shashi Tharoor

Indian firms tackle air pollution with flexible work, install air purifiers

The Delhi government has enforced GRAP Stage IV, banning diesel vehicles, restricting non-essential trucks, halting construction, and urging work-from-home to combat severe air pollution

Smog disrupts supply chains, output for 3.4 million MSMEs in north India

Air pollution: Industry bodies say prolonged smog exposure is affecting workers' health, leading to reduced productivity and extended production delays

Punjab farm fires peak as SC blasts authorities over pollution crisis

Despite reports of declining farm fires in Punjab, many now occur later in the day, possibly evading satellite detection

Delhi's air pollution takes centre stage at COP29, experts call for action

Delhi's hazardous air quality was a key focus at COP29, as experts warned about the health risks of air pollution and called for immediate global action. Aarti Khosla, Director of Climate Trends, sais that Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) had reached dangerous levels, with some areas recording particulate pollution above 1,000 microgram per cubic metre. Pollution comes from many sources like black carbon, ozone, burning fossil fuels, and farm fires. We need solutions that tackle all of these, she said. Khosla also explained that low wind speeds during the La Nia weather pattern are trapping pollutants in the air, making the situation worse. While we discuss major global issues, millions of people's health is at risk. We must act fast, she said. Courtney Howard, Vice-Chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, shared her experience from Canada, where wildfires forced the evacuation of 70 per cent of her population in 2023. This was expensive, even for a rich country like ours. ..

Health secy issues advisory as AQI worsens, SC enforces Grap IV in Delhi

The advisory includes recommendations for states and UTs to strengthen existing health systems and raise awareness among vulnerable groups and at-risk occupations

Physical classes in Delhi schools, DU to be suspended due to air pollution

Delhi University would shift to online classes till November 23, the varsity announced amid worsening air quality levels in the city. The decision comes as the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has reached "alarmingly high" levels, prompting concerns about health and safety. Delhi's had an AQI reading of 494 at 4 pm. In a notification, the university stated, "In the larger interest of students of the colleges and the departments of the University of Delhi, it has been decided that the classes shall be conducted in online mode till Saturday the 23rd November, 2024. Regular classes in physical mode to resume from Monday, the 25th November 2024." The schedule of examinations and interviews, however, remains unchanged, it said. The Delhi government has termed the worsening air quality a "medical emergency" and urged institutions to take preventive measures to safeguard public health. The city's air pollution has been exacerbated by weather conditio

Over 370 flights delayed at Delhi airport as smog engulfs national capital

According to Flightradar24 data, till 2 PM, about 110 arrivals were delayed at the national capital's airport. Moreover, about 269 departures were also delayed at this airport

UPDATES: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das' tenure likely to be extended further

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Delhi air pollution: What are different GRAP Stages and their restrictions?

In response to the worsening AQI in Delhi-NCR, Delhi govt imposed GRAP IV from today. GRAP 4 means ban on diesel-run medium, heavy good vehicles registered in Delhi except those carrying essentials