Page 51 - Delhi Air Quality

Delhi most polluted city in past year, Mizoram sustains cleanest air: Study

Although its air quality improved marginally, Delhi remained the most polluted city in the year ending September 30, with a PM2.5 concentration of 100.1 micrograms per cubic metre, which is three times the government's safe limit, according to a new analysis. The analysis conducted by independent think tank Climate Trends and tech firm Respirer Living Sciences, that manufactures real-time IoT-based air quality monitoring devices, showed that Aizawl and Mizoram have India's cleanest air with a PM2.5 level of only 11.1 micrograms per cubic metre. Four more cities from the National Capital Region -- Faridabad (89 micrograms per cubic metre), Noida (79.1 micrograms per cubic metre), Ghaziabad (78.3 micrograms per cubic metre) and Meerut (76.9 micrograms per cubic metre) -- also feature among the top 10 most polluted cities. The report is based on the analysis of the government's PM2.5 data from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, and focuses on the cities covered under the National

Delhi recorded second-best air quality during Jan-Sept in 6 years: CAQM

Delhi-NCR recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 167 from January 1 to September 30 this year, the second-best for the corresponding period in six years, the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Saturday. Better air quality during this period was recorded only during the pandemic-affected 2020, it said in a statement. In 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018, the average AQI during this period ranged from 180 to 193. Delhi experienced its only "good" air quality day of the year, with an AQI of 45, on September 10, the final day of the G20 Summit. Despite less rainfall in September 2023 (82.7 mm) compared to September 2022 (165 mm), the average AQI for the month this year (108) remained on par with last year (104). Between January and September this year, Delhi saw 193 days with "good" to "moderate" air quality (average AQI less than 200), surpassing the previous five years (excluding 2020), during which the number of such days ranged from 146 to 174. The CAQM

Centre's action plan to curb air pollution in Delhi comes into force Sunday

The Graded Response Action Plan -- a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the Delhi-NCR region in the winter season -- will come into force on Sunday. The Commission for Air Quality Management, an autonomous body tasked with improving air quality in Delhi and the adjoining areas, had made crucial changes to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) last year and again in July this year. The new changes include strict restrictions on the plying of overage vehicles and a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in eateries, restaurants and hotels when the air quality index (AQI) breaches the 200 mark. BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers will be immediately banned in Delhi and Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar if the Air Quality Index (AQI) crosses the 400 mark. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body formed under an Act in 2021, had amended the GRAP in July last year to ensure proactive implementation of anti-air ...

CM Arvind Kejriwal introduces winter plan to curb pollution in Delhi

Kejriwal said the Pusa bio decomposer that prevents stubble burning will be sprayed on 5,000 hectares of farmland this year

Strict action against agencies violating dust control norms in Delhi: Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday said strict action will be taken against agencies found violating dust control norms in the national capital. The minister held a meeting with officials of government and private construction agencies and instructed them to follow the city government's guidelines to prevent dust pollution during the winter season. "All agencies engaged in construction work were instructed to follow 14-point guidelines to control dust pollution," he said in a post on X. It is mandatory to install anti-smog guns at construction and demolition sites larger than 5,000 square metres, he said. All construction agencies have to provide on-site training to workers regarding the guidelines, he added. The guidelines include erecting dust/wind-breaking walls of appropriate height around construction sites and covering scaffolding with tarpaulin or green netting. All vehicles, including those transporting construction material and debris, must be cleaned and the

Delhi CM to release govt's 'Winter Action Plan' on Oct 1 to curb pollution

"To control pollution during winter the government has decided to prepare a Winter Action Plan. We had a discussion with experts and a joint meeting was held today," said Rai

Rain lowers temperature, Delhi records first 'good' air quality of the year

The weather forecast predicts generally cloudy skies with the possibility of light rain or drizzle in a few places on Monday, with temperatures ranging from 32°C to 24°C

G20 Summit: Air Quality in Delhi 'Good', IMD monitoring Pragati Maidan

The Indian Meteorological Department installed an additional automatic weather station near Pragati Maidan, the venue of the G20 Summit

Delhi: Gopal Rai holds meeting on winter action plan to fight air pollution

Gopal Rai further said that the Government will organize an "Environmental Experts Meet" regarding the Winter Action Plan at the Delhi Secretariat on September 12

Delhi residents on track to lose 11.9 years of life to pollution: Study

Delhi has emerged as the world's most polluted city in a new study which has also found that its residents are on track to lose 11.9 years of life if the current levels of pollution persist. The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) released by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago also showed that all of India's 1.3 billion people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the 5 g/m3 limit set by World Health Organization (WHO). It also found that 67.4 per cent of the country's population lives in areas that exceed the country's own national air quality standard of 40 g/m3. The study said fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) shortens an average Indian's life expectancy by 5.3 years, relative to what it would be if the 5 g/m3 pollution limit set by (WHO) was met. The AQLI said that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world with its 18 million residents on track to lose 11.9 years of life expectancy on average relative to the WHO limit

CSIR-NEERI plans grid-based strategy to combat Delhi's air pollution

The CSIRNational Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) on Saturday said it will develop a grid-based mitigation strategy to tackle the air pollution problem in Delhi. Presenting the plan during the India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) 2023 in Bengaluru, S K Goyal, Chief Scientist and Head, CSIRNEERI, Delhi Zonal Centre, said: "We will develop a grid-based mitigation strategy, termed 'Local Area Management Plan' (LAMP), for each hotspot, for each season." The 'one size fits all' approach has rarely worked for air pollution mitigation, he said, adding that LAMP will allow policymakers to devise tailored strategies for pollution control within their jurisdiction, aligning with the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) goals. Inspired by a tile-by-tile concept, the approach involves segmenting the entire National Capital Region into a grid of tiles, each covering two sqkm. These tiles will be closely monitored through a network of stationary and mobile sensors over two ...

Rainfall in parts of Delhi, minimum temperature recorded at 25.4 deg C

There was rainfall in parts of Delhi early Saturday and the city's minimum temperature was recorded at 25.4 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The national capital recorded 13 mm rainfall till 8.30 am and the weather department has predicted generally cloudy skies with light to moderate showers during the day. It said the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 34 degrees Celsius, while the humidity at 8.30 am was at 96 per cent. According to Central Pollution Control Board data, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood in the 'moderate' category with a reading of 151 at 8 am. 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'.

Delhi records best air quality so far this year with AQI of 59: CAQM

Delhi on Saturday recorded its cleanest air quality so far this year with an AQI of 59, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Intermittent rain in most parts of Delhi has played a role in improving the national capital's air quality and keeping temperatures in check. "Delhi today registered its best AQI of 2023. Delhi's average AQI clocked 59 today. The earlier recorded best AQI of Delhi during current year was 64 on 9th July. Let's continue working together towards cleaner skies and a healthier environment," the CAQM said in a tweet. 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'. Delhi on Saturday recorded a maximum temperature of 31.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, and a minimum temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department ...

Delhi has witnessed 30% improvement in air quality: Minister Gopal Rai

While air pollution is steadily rising across the country, the national capital has witnessed a 30 per cent improvement in its air quality, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday. Rai was speaking at the launch of the annual sapling plantation drive from the campus of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute here. During the drive, which usually begins during the monsoon, saplings will be planted across the Delhi to increase the city's green cover. "Air pollution in Delhi has reduced by 30 per cent while it has steadily increased in the rest of the country," the minister said at the launch of the drive. Rai also launched an online portal to allow Delhi residents to book free saplings. "The city government is close to delivering on its promise of planting two crore saplings in the national capital in five years," he said. "Before the state elections, we promised to plant two crore saplings. We planted 32 lakh in 2020-21, 35 lakh in 2021-2022, 50 lakh in 2022-23 and

Improving Delhi's air quality has been most difficult task: CM Kejriwal

A day after the Environment Ministry said Delhi registered the highest number of 'good to moderate' air quality days this year since 2016, barring 2020, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said improving air quality in the city has been the most difficult task. Delhi also experienced the least number of days with 'poor to severe' air quality in the first half-year period (January to June) in 2023, compared to the corresponding period since 2016, except for COVID-19 affected 2020. "This was perhaps the most difficult task -- improving air quality. But a series of steps taken by Delhiites helped us achieve this seemingly impossible task. Still a long way to go. But Delhi people have always done what others thought impossible," Kejriwal said in a tweet. The average AQI (air quality index) for Delhi during this period also remained in 'moderate' category -- below 200. Delhi reported its lowest average AQI during 2023 (JanuaryJune) compared to the corresponding period for the seven .

CAQM shares revised guidelines for use of diesel generator in Delhi-NCR

The revised guidelines of CAQM will come into effect starting October 1, 2023, following which, the use of these sets will not be allowed in the Delhi-NCR

Delhi to expect a dry morning as humidity levels drop to 57%, says IMD

Air quality continues to remain at moderate levels, with temperatures expected to rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius over the next two days

Cool morning in Delhi, but temp expected to rise to 40 degrees Celsius

Thursday saw the temperature dip to 21.9 degrees Celsius, far below the average for the season, overall air quality sits at 190 (moderate category)

Delhi Environment Min convenes meeting amid Delhi's worsening air quality

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has called a meeting of the officials of his department and the city's pollution control board on Thursday, as the national capital recorded close to 'severe' level air quality index (AQI). The meeting is slated to take place at 1 pm on Thursday, an official said on Wednesday. "The meeting of the environment department and Delhi Pollution Control Committee, to be chaired by Delhi Minister Gopal Rai, has been convened to discuss the situation as the AQI level has deteriorated," he said. The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital was close to the 'severe' level on an overcast Wednesday morning while the minimum temperature settled at 25.4 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average. Central Pollution Control Board data showed Delhi's AQI at 395 ('very poor') at 9 am, just five notches short of touching the 'severe' level. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 30

Crucial conference on source apportionment study on air pollution in Delhi

The Delhi government will hold a roundtable conference on Monday to discuss the findings of a real-time source apportionment study on air pollution and develop a strategy to further improve air quality in Delhi-NCR, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said. The "Save Environment Roundtable Conference" will take place at the Delhi Secretariat, and will be attended by representatives from the Commission for Air Quality Management, Central Pollution Control Board, SAFAR, United Nations Environment Programme, India Meteorological Department, World Bank, Centre for Science and Environment, TERI, and NCR (National Capital Region) states. "We will share the report of the source apportionment study with the participants, seek their suggestions, and prepare a strategy to further reduce air pollution in Delhi-NCR," Rai said. Real-time source apportionment studies help identify factors responsible for an increase in air pollution at any spot, such as vehicles, dust, biomass burning, and emissions .