Page 48 - Delhi Air Quality

Polluted air unrestricted by borders: Haryana CM amid political blame game

Polluted air is not restricted by borders, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Wednesday and claimed that people in his state as well as in Delhi were suffering with Punjab reporting several cases of crop-residue burning. He, however, stressed there should not be politics over the issue and that it is the collective responsibility of everyone to keep the environment clean. The air quality in Delhi and its adjoining areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) worsened on Wednesday morning, with smoke from post-harvest paddy straw burning in neighbouring states accounting for one-third of the air pollution in the national capital. "There should be no politics. Unfortunately, a few people are doing politics over it, but they are not getting any benefit...," the chief minister said when asked by reporters in Pinjore on a Supreme Court bench on Tuesday taking a stern view of states trying to shift the blame on one another, and observing there cannot be a "political battle"

Delhi pollution: Ex-VP Naidu advises Centre, Kejriwal govt to work together

The Centre, Delhi government and neighbouring states should evolve a consensus formula to tackle the problem of air pollution in the city and there should be no politicking on the issue, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday. Calling for immediate measures to tackle the problem, he said it is a very serious issue as it affects the health of youngsters. "The air pollution problem should be taken seriously because Delhi is the capital of India and there should not be any politicking," he told a select group of journalists here. He said although it is basically the duty of the Delhi government, it is also the responsibility of the Centre and the states around to come together and evolve a time-frame based programme to tackle this problem. "I appeal to all, including the Central government, to coordinate, cooperate and work together and evolve a consensus formula to tackle this," Naidu said, adding, "It is high time the problem is taken care of". On the PM Garib Kal

Delhi air quality 'severe', farm fires account for one-third pollution

Air quality in Delhi and its suburbs dropped to the severe category again on Wednesday morning, with smoke from post-harvest paddy straw burning in neighbouring states accounting for one-third of the air pollution in the national capital. The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 421, worsening from 395 at 4 pm on Tuesday. Despite a marginal dip, the concentration of PM2.5, fine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems, exceeded the government-prescribed safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by seven to eight times in the capital. It was 30 to 40 times the healthy limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Several cities across the Indo-Gangetic plains reported hazardous air quality. Neighbouring Ghaziabad (382), Gurugram (370), Noida (348), Greater Noida (474), and Faridabad (396) also reported hazardous air quality. According to data from the Decision Support System,

Delhi's air quality 'severe' with AQI in most parts of city above 400

Delhi air pollution today: The odd-even rule for vehicles is set to kick in from November 13, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, however, called the move 'all optics'

Delhi to include SC's directives for implementation of odd-even scheme: Rai

The Delhi government will incorporate the Supreme Court's directions on pollution in finalising details of the odd-even car rationing scheme, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday. The minister on Monday announced that to combat pollution, the odd-even scheme will be enforced in the national capital from November 13-20. The apex court, while hearing a matter pertaining to air pollution in the Delhi-NCR on Tuesday, flagged issues like crop residue burning, vehicular pollution and burning of waste in the open. Rai said he held a meeting with senior officers of the transport and environment departments and the traffic police to discuss the modalities of the odd-even scheme. The government will now study the SC order and include its suggestions and directions to plan further, he added.

We are being targeted, defamed for Delhi air pollution, say Punjab farmers

Farmers in Punjab Tuesday said they were unnecessarily being targeted and defamed for air pollution in Delhi, asserting that industries, vehicles and the construction sector are the major sources of pollution in the national capital and not stubble burning. Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is considered a contributing factor to the spike in pollution levels in Delhi in October and November every year. Amid the recent decline in air quality in the national capital, the AAP and the BJP have blamed stubble burning in states ruled by the other for the pollution. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said most stubble burning incidents are being witnessed in the BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh whereas such cases are declining in his state. On the other hand, Haryana Agriculture Minister Jai Prakash Dalal on Saturday had slammed the Bhagwant Mann government over the stubble burning incidents in the state. Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhde

Delhi's air quality dips to 394, improves slightly to 'very poor' category

According to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital's AQI was 421 on Monday evening

'Odd-even' scheme back in Delhi from Nov 13 to Nov 20 to curb pollution

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had called a high-level meeting on the issue of increasing pollution today

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32% families in Delhi planning to burst firecrackers on Diwali: Survey

Around 32 percent families are planning to burst firecrackers in Delhi, while 43 per cent cited concerns about pollution as the reason for not doing so, according to a survey by a community social media platform. According to the survey by Localcircles that received over 9,000 responses from residents of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad, 32 per cent families in Delhi-NCR are likely to burst firecrackers this Diwali despite a ban on its sale and use. Pollution levels in Delhi-NCR on Monday morning were recorded around seven to eight times above the government-prescribed safe limit, as a toxic haze persisted over the region for the seventh consecutive day. Many residents believe that stubble burning in the neighbouring states is the primary cause of increased air pollution in Delhi-NCR from late October to early November, the survey stated. "As per reports, the sale of firecrackers is not prohibited in neighbouring states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. In the last

World Cup: In touch with medical panel - Sri Lanka on Delhi air pollution

As uncertainty surrounds their World Cup match against Bangladesh owing to the toxic air condition here, Sri Lankan cricket team manager Mahinda Halangoda said on Sunday that they are in touch with a medical panel and will abide by the decision of International Cricket Council (ICC) with regards to the game on Monday. Halangoda, however, clarified that Sri Lanka have not pleaded with the ICC for a change of venue for Monday's match. "We are constantly in touch with our medical panel back in Sri Lanka. Actually, the professor who is in charge is already in India. He had come for a conference and we are in touch with him through the team doctor. "Definitely we will be looking at the index. But obviously, we will be guided by the ICC and I think they have a medical panel here and, so, they will be giving us instructions. "Today when we came, we were told to wear masks. But it depends on what the outside index is, and then we'll make a call on it," said Halangonda. The Lankan team was

Delhi CM Kejriwal calls high-level meeting amid rising pollution levels

This meeting will be held in Delhi Secretariat at 12 noon

Delhi's air quality continues in 'severe' category as AQI hits 488

Delhi air pollution: In view of the rising pollution, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has today called a meeting of all concerned departments to strictly implement stage four of the Grap measures

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Primary schools in Delhi shut till Nov 10 amid rising pollution levels

All primary schools in the national capital will remain shut till November 10 in view of rising pollution levels in the city, Delhi Education Minister Atishi announced on Sunday. For classes 6 to 12, schools have the option of teaching online. As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till November 10. For Grade 6-12, schools are being given the option of shifting to online classes, Atishi said on X. A toxic haze lingered over Delhi for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday as pollution levels once again reached the severe plus category due to unfavourable wind conditions, particularly calm winds during the night. The air quality index deteriorated from 415 at 4 pm on Saturday to 460 at 7 am on Sunday. Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that all government and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed on November 3 and November 4, in view of rising pollution levels. Under the Centre's air pollution control pl

Delhi's AQI in 'severe' category, Gopal Rai urges Centre to convene meeting

Gurugram also joined the list of cities as the AQI dipped to the 'severe' category at 404

Poor air quality affects mental development of children, say health experts

The health experts of Safdarjung Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in Delhi, said that for healthy lungs, the AQI must remain below 60

World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka cancel training in "severely" polluted Delhi

Sri Lanka cancelled their opening training session in the national capital on Saturday due to "severe" air pollution but Bangladesh braved the adverse weather conditions to train, a day after choosing to skip their practice session. Bangladesh, who arrived here on Wednesday, had decided against practising on Friday as the pollution levels in the city hit the "severe plus" category. Sri Lanka followed them into staying indoors on Saturday when the Air Quality Index stood at 407 in the morning. "It was cancelled owing to the air quality issue," said a SLC source, referring to the Saturday's training session. However, Bangladesh players, wearing masks, came out for practice at the Feroz Shah Kotla. An 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". It is unlikely that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will shift the game out of Delhi but the call on whether t

Due to Delhi's people, govt's hard work, we had 200 good air days: AAP

Priyanka Kakkar also took a dig at the Khattar-led-BJP govt in Haryana and said that the state was not being monitored in the context of air quality

MCD deploys 517 surveillance teams to combat air pollution in Delhi

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has taken a number of steps to combat air pollution in the city, as part of its Winter Action Plan (WAP).The WAP includes a number of measures to reduce dust pollution, open burning, and C & D waste violations.The Public Work Department has provided 60 Anti-Smog guns (ASGs) to assist MCD in combatting dust pollution in Hotspot areas."To implement the Winter Action Plan (WAP) MCD has constituted 517 Surveillance Teams constituting 1119 officers to check the open burning, illegal C & D waste dumping, checking of C & D sites and dust on roads under its jurisdiction," read the MCD release.Zonal Officers have been directed to strictly implement the revised GRAP guidelines issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).MCD has deployed 52 Mechanical Road Sweepers to carry out sweeping on PWD roads. Their frequency and timings have been increased as per the various stages of the GRAP.225 water sprinklers including 30 mobile ...