Page 21 - Delhi-ncr

Delhi air pollution: Gopal Rai to hold review meeting with DPCC today

The air quality in the national capital continued to hover in the 'very poor' category on Friday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at over 350 in several areas

AQI expected to improve in next 2-3 days: Delhi Environment Minister Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said the city's air quality, as per experts, is expected to improve in the next two to three days and hence the state government has decided to continue with GRAP III regulations. The minister said the Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to improve from the "very poor" category in the coming days but the ban on certain vehicles will continue under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) III regulations. "Under GRAP III, BS 3 petrol and BS 4 diesel vehicles are still banned," Gopal Rai told PTI. "Scientists are saying that the air quality will improve in the coming 2-3 days. As per the present conditions, it was decided that GRAP III regulations will continue in Delhi for now," he said. The minister further informed that the restrictions under GRAP IV have been modified and now include a ban on BS 3 petrol and BS 4 diesel vehicles with All India Permit, which were allowed to enter Delhi earlier. If Delhi air quality deteriorates in fu

85% of Delhi-NCR residents reluctant to retrofit DG sets with CNG: Survey

Around 85 per cent of Delhi-NCR residents who have a personal or society generator running on diesel are unwilling to retrofit it with CNG, according to a survey carried out by a digital community-based platform. The survey by LocalCircles said that despite the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which banned the use of diesel generator sets from October 1 to December 31, 2023, as part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat air pollution in the region, there is significant resistance among residents. The survey received more than 22,000 responses from Delhi National Capital Region residents located in the cities of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. To ease concerns over power disruptions in essential sectors in the NCR, the CAQM in September granted a three-month reprieve for the use of DG sets in nine critical categories of emergency services till December 31. The survey sought to know "How are you/your society complying with

Buses from other states may face curbs if Grap Stage IV invoked in Delhi

The Delhi government has notified that the entry of buses, barring CNG, BSVI diesel and electric ones will be regulated in the capital, if restrictions under the final stage of the Centre's air pollution control plan are invoked. Stage IV is the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). "Entry of all buses, including All India Tourist buses/ Contract Carriage buses/ State Transport Buses or holding any other kind of permit into Delhi from other states except CNG / Electric or BSVI diesel buses will be restricted as and when GRAP IV invokes. "The above mentioned restrictions shall stand automatically applicable, as and when GRAP - IV is invoked from the date of issuance of this order in Delhi Gazette, and if the GRAP IV is revoked the said restrictions stand terminated automatically, no separate order will be issued," an official gazette notification said. Last month, the Delhi government directed that all buses entering the national capital from Haryana will have to be

Oberoi Realty enters Delhi-NCR; buys 15-acre land in Gurugram for Rs 597 cr

Oberoi Realty has bought nearly 15-acre land in Gurugram for Rs 597 crore to develop luxury housing project, marking its foray into the Delhi-NCR property market. The Mumbai-based company has "executed an agreement for sale with Ireo Residences Company Pvt Ltd and others for acquiring land admeasuring approximately 14.816 acre equivalent to 59,956.20 square meters at Sector 58, Gurugram, Haryana." In a regulatory filing on late Friday, Oberoi Realty said the consideration for the transaction is in the form of event/ time linked monetary consideration of up to Rs 597 crore, and up to a certain area in the project for the existing homeowners and others. The company has taken possession of this land and it will get an estimated area of 2.6 million square feet for development. "This transaction marks the company's foray into the NCR region," Oberoi Realty said. The company intends to primarily develop a luxury residential group housing project on this land parcel. Oberoi Realty has .

Delhi HC orders high powered committee on pvt schools' staff salary issue

The Delhi High Court has directed the city government to constitute a high powered committee to supervise implementation of recommendations and guidelines of the sixth and seventh Central Pay Commission (CPC) dealing with salaries and arrears to staff of private unaided schools and recognised private unaided minority schools here. Terming education as an invincible weapon for empowering the next generation, the high court said the regulating authority has to exercise certain control to ensure that uniform quality of education was provided to every student of the country. The high court said the committee shall be constituted at Central and Zonal level and also directed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to issue a notification within two weeks for the purpose of convening zonal committee, wherein, various stakeholders including teaching and non-teaching staff of several schools, who are aggrieved by the nonimplementation of the Pay Commission, shall file their claim before the ...

DMRC ramps up surprise checks in Delhi Metro to curb 'objectionable acts'

With a string of controversial videos made in Delhi Metro trains and premises going viral in the last several months, DMRC chief Vikas Kumar has appealed to people to refrain from engaging in "objectionable" activities and said steps were being taken to curb such incidents. In a interview with PTI, Kumar also said squads do "surprise checks" from time to time and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is "trying its best" to check these activities. Seeking fame, some metro riders in the past have often resorted to gyrating on some popular numbers inside train coaches or at platforms, while someone else filmed it. In other cases, videos have emerged on social media platforms such as Instagram where young couples have been filmed getting intimate in a train. On one occasion, a video of a young woman in a skimpy dress had gone viral on X, triggering an online debate on public decency and freedom of an individual. Kumar, the managing director of the DMRC, said security personnel canno

Ensure ban of private polluting buses in Delhi: AAP govt to authorities

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai directed the transport department on Friday to conduct a special drive to prevent the entry of private polluting buses into the capital. The minister reviewed the implementation of air pollution control measures at the Sarai Kale Interstate Bus Terminal and found buses from other states flouting the ban imposed on BS IV diesel vehicles under the Centre's Graded Response Action Plan. "We have found that private buses from other states have been violating the ban and have directed the transport department to run a special drive to check the entry of such vehicles into Delhi," he told reporters. Citing experts' views, Rai said that a slight improvement in meteorological conditions might lead to marginal relief but urged agencies to remain alert. Strict restrictions, including a ban on construction work and the entry of polluting trucks into the capital, under the final stage (Stage IV) of the Centre's air pollution control plan, known as the Graded

Delhi pollution: Special Task Force monitoring GRAP execution, says govt

Minister Gopal Rai shared that so far, teams have carried out on-site inspections of 3895 construction sites under GRAP in view of the worsening air quality in Delhi.

Delhi pollution row: LG Saxena attacks Delhi, Punjab govts over crisis

Lt Governor V K Saxena on Thursday targeted AAP governments in Delhi and Punjab over air pollution in the city, saying Delhi can do little to stop smoke from stubble-burning from other states. He also highlighted that the problem in the national capital can be mitigated by reducing "dust that our unrepaired roads, unpaved pavements and construction sites cause" and curbing vehicular emissions. Saxena said the national capital can do little to stop crop residue smoke from other states and added "blaming others should not be alibi for gross inaction over years." Saxena also accused the Punjab government of "playing truant." "We can do little to stop crop residue smoke from other States, apart from pleading with them. Despite States, especially Punjab playing truant, we are, but petitioners for mercy. AQI yet hovers around 400, making the capital gasp," he said in a post. Delhi's air quality fluctuated between "very poor" and "severe" categories on Thursday as unfavourable meteorolog

'Odd-even' scheme if pollution reaches 'severe' plus levels: Delhi govt

Nine out of 11 state capitals analysed in India recorded higher pollution in the first 12 hours after Diwali celebrations this year as compared to last year.

Delhi traffic updates: Police issue advisory for Diwali, Dhanteras. Details

This year, Dhanteras will be celebrated on November 10 and Diwali falls on November 12. Areas including Chandani Chowk, Khari Baoli, Connaught Place will likely see congestion.

Delhi govt planning to induce artificial rain to combat air pollution

Due to the surge in the pollution level in Delhi, the government is planning to induce artificial rain in the national capital to reduce the AQI. Check the latest update

64% Delhi-NCR residents do not support odd-even scheme: LocalCircles

A survey by LocalCircles said that 56% of those surveyed in Delhi-NCR oppose one or more exemptions in the odd-even scheme

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,

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Delhi-NCR's air quality 'severe': Schools closed, WFH ordered, traffic curbed

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 >

Delhi air pollution: Centre defers stricter curbs, says AQI declining

The central government on Friday deferred implementation of stricter measures under the final stage of the air pollution control plan, saying curbs under Stage III were implemented only a day ago and the air quality index in Delhi-NCR is already showing a declining trend. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 468 on Friday which falls in the "severe plus" category, a stage at which all emergency measures, including a ban on polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all types of construction, are mandated to be initiated and enforced in the National Capital Region. These measures constitute the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan and should ideally be activated at least three days prior to the Air Quality Index surpassing the 450-mark in the capital, as outlined in a policy document prepared by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). However, during a review meeting, the CAQM decided to monitor the air pollution situation for a day or more befo

Delhi-NCR air pollution today, 3 Nov: Government bans construction work

The air quality of Delhi NCR continues to worsen, with AQI at several places reaching alarming levels. Authorities imposed a ban on construction work and restrictions on diesel and petrol vehicles

As AQI turns 'serve' in Delhi, Centre bans non-essential construction work

The Centre's pollution control panel on Thursday issued directions to ban non-essential construction work in Delhi-NCR and the entry of diesel-guzzling trucks into the capital as the air quality in the city entered the 'severe' category. This action comes as part of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) -- the Centre's air pollution control plan that is implemented in the region during the winter season. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 402 at 5 pm. At a meeting to review the air quality situation in Delhi-NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for developing strategies to combat pollution in the region, said that the pollution levels are only "expected to increase further" owing to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions. GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI .