It’s a new day, but the same “very poor air quality” for Delhiites. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday, with a thin layer of smog engulfing several places in the national capital.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s AQI was 384 at 8 AM on Tuesday.
According to SAFAR India, air quality in several places in Delhi crossed the 400 mark on Tuesday morning, reaching the ‘severe’ category.
On Monday morning around 7 AM, Mundka recorded an AQI of 416, Vivek Vihar at 424, Ashok Vihar at 418, New Moti Bagh at 414, Anand Vihar at 457, Rohini at 401 and Dwarka Sector 8 at 404. All these areas reported ‘severe’ air quality levels, posing significant health risks. The AQI at Pusa was recorded at 364 during the same time, RK Puram at 396, ITO at 343 Lodhi Road at 346 and Narela at 390. An AQI is considered “poor” between ‘200 and 300’, “very poor” at ‘301 and 400’, “severe” at ‘401-450,” and 450 and above is “severe plus.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court asked the Delhi government on Monday how the ban on bursting firecrackers in the national capital to curb air pollution was flouted during Diwali celebrations.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit on the steps taken to tackle pollution and enforce the firecracker ban in the city. The bench observed widespread reports in newspapers that the ban on firecrackers was not implemented. It said it wanted the Delhi government to respond to the question of why the ban was hardly implemented immediately.
It further directed the Delhi government and the Police Commissioner of Delhi to file affidavits highlighting what steps they propose to take to prevent this from happening again next year.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Archana Pathak Dave also told the bench that there was absolute noncompliance with firecracker restrictions during Diwali this year. He added that a report suggests a huge increase in air pollution on the day of Diwali, with the pollution percentage rising from 10 percent to 27 percent.
