Page 32 - Delhi Pollution

Long-term exposure to air pollution ups kidney disease risk: Study

As air pollution worsens in Delhi-NCR, a new study has warned that long-term exposure to air pollution may increase kidney disease risk.

Delhi under thick smog blanket, air quality remains severe for third day

In a slight improvement, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 431 on Saturday morning, according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

Wear masks to protect yourselves as CM busy in poll campaign: Mandaviya

Taking a dig at Arvind Kejriwal, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday urged Delhi'ites to wear masks to protect themselves from pollution as the Delhi chief minister was busy in poll campaign in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Alarmed by hazardous pollution levels and health warnings, the Delhi government on Friday announced that primary schools will remain shut from Saturday and 50 per cent of its staff will work from home, while private offices have been advised to follow suit. Delhi's air quality remained "severe" for a second day on the trot. "The people of Delhi are urged to wear masks and protect themselves from air pollution because Kejriwal-ji is busy talking about free 'rewari' in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh and putting up advertisements by spending crores of rupees of Delhi taxpayers' money," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Delhi air pollution worst in the world on Friday, shows Swiss firm data

Delhi government has ordered WFH for 50 per cent of govt staffers, primary schools have been ordered shut

Delhi govt orders WFH for half its staff, primary schools to be shut

As capital chokes with air pollution, AAP takes responsibility for excessive stubble burning in the last few days

Delhi pollution: Why can't Punjab put out stubble fires if Haryana can?

Delhi's air quality index reached hazardous levels. Punjab's share in farm fires is maximum this time. So why has the govt failed in reining in the stubble burning in the state? Here's our report

SC agrees to hear on Nov 10 plea raising air pollution issue in Delhi

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine on November 10 a plea seeking urgent steps in connection with air pollution in Delhi

Scindia digs up Kejriwal's statements on stubble burning, says 'then do it'

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday took a swipe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his past statements regarding the stubble burning leading to pollution in the national capital

Severe air pollution in Delhi: BJP asks AAP to order closure of schools

The Delhi BJP on Friday demanded that the AAP government order closure of schools in the national capital in view of severe air pollution. Addressing a press conference at the Delhi BJP office, national spokesperson of the party Shehzad Poonawala said the AAP government should stop playing with the lives of the children and close the schools. "Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is working like a part time chief minister of Delhi, should tell the people what steps have been taken by his government to curb pollution in the city," Poonawala said. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said the party will take to the streets if the Kejriwal government does not order closure of schools. Raging farm fires and stagnant atmospheric conditions pushed the capital's air quality index to the edge of the "severe plus" category on Thursday, prompting authorities to invoke the final stage of anti-pollution curbs, including a ban on diesel-run light motor vehicles. The Commission for Air Quality ...

Delhi govt to provide Rs 5,000 each as aid to 1 mn construction workers

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed Labour Minister Manish Sisodia to provide Rs 5,000 each as financial aid to 10 lakh registered workers due to pollution-related ban on construction activities in Delhi. With pollution levels worsening, the Centre's air quality panel had on Saturday directed authorities to impose a ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR, except on essential projects, and other curbs under stage three of the Graded Response Action Plan. GRAP is set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. "Construction activities have been stopped across Delhi in view of pollution. I have directed Labour Minister, Sh Manish Sisodia, to give Rs 5,000 pm as financial support to each construction worker during this period when construction activities are not permitted," Kejriwal tweeted. The Delhi government will deposit Rs 5,000 in the accounts of over 10 lakh construction

Delhi air quality remains 'very poor'; Noida AQI may turn into 'severe'

The Air Quality Index at the city's Mathura Road was also under the "very poor" category with PM 2.5 at 355 and PM 10 concentration at 289 under the "poor" category

Child rights body asks Delhi govt to shut schools till pollution reduces

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the Delhi government to shut schools till air quality in the national capital improves. The national capital's air quality has deteriorated to 'severe' in the last few days, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Air pollution in the 'severe' category affects healthy people and seriously impacts children and those with existing diseases, according to the CPCB. The apex child rights body said it had taken a serious view of the matter and expressed concern over the 'severe' air quality impacting the health of children. NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo has written to the chief secretary and strongly recommended considering appropriate action. He has urged the Delhi government to consider shutting schools in the interest of the children till air quality in the national capital improves.

Delhi's air quality improves, now in 'poor' category, min temp 15.2 deg C

Delhi's air quality improved on Tuesday morning, as the AQI stood in the 'poor' category, even as the minimum temperature settled at 15.2 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal. The city's air quality index (AQI) stood at 266 around 9:15 AM, data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed. Delhi's overall air quality index had read 361 at 8 pm on Monday. 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". The minimum temperature on Tuesday was recorded at 15.2 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season's average. The city recorded a relative humidity of 94 per cent at 8:30 AM, as per data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature on Monday was recorded at 15.1 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal, while the maximum temperature stood at 31.1 degrees Celsius. The meteorological office has forecast mainly clear sky later in

Delhi air in 'very poor' category, city records min temp of 15 deg C

Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category on Monday morning and the city recorded a minimum temperature of 15 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average. With pollution levels worsening, the Centre's air quality panel has directed the authorities to impose a ban on construction and demolition activities in the Delhi-NCR, except in essential projects, and other curbs under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan. The relative humidity at 8.30 am stood at 90 per cent, officials said. The weatherman predicted mainly clear skies for the day with the maximum temper likely to settle at 32 degrees Celsius. GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. It classifies the air quality in the Delhi-NCR under four different 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 >450).

Delhi sets up 586 teams for inspection as GRAP Stage III kicks in

Latest stage imposed when air quality touched 'severe' levels with the overall AQI reaching 400 at 12:10 a.m. on Saturday

Stubble burning share in Delhi's pollution rises to 26% as farm fires rise

The share of stubble burning in Delhi PM2.5 pollution rose to 26 per cent on Sunday, the highest this year so far, amid an increase in farm fires and favourable conditions for transport of emissions to Delhi-NCR. On Saturday, farm fires accounted for 21 per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in the national capital. PM2.5 are fine particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream. The contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's PM2.5 pollution remained low (up to 7 per cent) till Friday due to a prolonged rain spell in early October and slow transport-level winds which were not strong enough to carry smoke from farm fires to the national capital. On Diwali (October 24), stubble burning contributed five to eight per cent to the total PM2.5 pollution in Delhi. The share of farm fires in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 25 per cent on Diwali in 2021, 32 per cent in 2020 and 19 per cent in 2019. The I

Delhi air 'very poor'; farm fire smoke, slow wind may push it to 'severe'

Delhi recorded its air quality in the 'very poor' category on Sunday morning and forecasters said slow wind speed and an increase in stubble burning, especially in Punjab, may push it to the 'severe' zone. With pollution levels worsening, the Centre's air quality panel on Saturday directed authorities to impose a ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR, except in essential projects, and other curbs under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan. Delhi's overall air quality index (AQI) stood at 367 at 9 am. The 24-hour average AQI on Saturday was 397, the worst since January. It was 354 on Thursday, 271 on Wednesday, 302 on Tuesday and 312 on Monday (Diwali). Anand Vihar (AQI 468) was the most polluted place in the capital. Wazirpur (412), Vivek Vihar (423) and Jahangirpuri (407) were among the monitoring stations that recorded "severe" air quality. V K Soni, head of the India Meteorological Department's Environment Monitoring and Research Centre, said a layer

Construction activities banned in Delhi as air quality in severe category

Amid worsening pollution levels in Delhi, the Centre's air quality panel Saturday directed authorities in the National Capital Region to implement curbs such as a ban on construction and demolition activities under the Graded Response Action Plan stage III. The restrictions will not be applicable on essential projects concerning national security, defence, railways and metro rail among others. Mining activities will also not be allowed in the region. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) further said states might impose restrictions on the plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in the NCR considering the worsening air quality. This direction is non-binding on authorities. The ban on construction activities is likely to affect housing projects in Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and other areas. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 397 at 4 pm, the worst since January. It was 354 on Thursday, 271 on Wednesday, 302 on Tuesday and 312 on Monday ...

Delhi air pollution: What all will be affected as GRAP stage III kicks in

The Commission for Air Quality Management on Saturday decided to implement measures under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan in view of the worsening air quality in the Delhi-NCR. These are the measures prescribed under stage III. 1. Ban on all construction and demolition activities, barring essential projects and services concerning national security, defence, healthcare, railways, airports, metro rail, interstate bus terminus, highways, roads, flyovers, power transmission, pipelines among others. Mining activities will also not be allowed in the region. 2. The ban on construction and demolition activities also covers earthwork for excavation, boring and drilling; fabrication and welding operations; loading and unloading of construction material; transfer of raw material, including fly ash, either manually or through conveyor belts and vehicular movement on unpaved roads. 3. Stage III also bans the operation of batching plants; laying of sewer lines, waterline, drainage

Gopal Rai calls meeting to discuss measures under GRAP stage III in Delhi

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will chair a high-level meeting on Sunday to discuss measures to be implemented under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan, officials said here. A layer of pungent smog enveloped Delhi-NCR on Saturday as air pollution in the region neared the "severe" zone amid adverse meteorological conditions. This prompted the Centre's air quality panel to direct authorities in the National Capital Region to immediately implement curbs, such as a ban on construction and demolition activities, under the Graded Response Action Plan stage III. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 397 at 4 pm, the worst since January. It was 354 on Thursday, 271 on Wednesday, 302 on Tuesday and 312 on Monday (Diwali). GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. It classifies the air quality in the Delhi-NCR under four different stages: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage