New Delhi, the capital of India, is plagued by air pollution. Pollution situation in Delhi is getting worse day by day. As a result, the capital is turning into a ‘gas chamber’ again.
Some schools in the city have been ordered to remain closed for two days after the Air Quality Index (AQI) entered the ‘severe’ category. Besides, the Kejriwal government has also banned unnecessary construction in Delhi and NCR.
India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said the air quality (Air Quality Index or AIQ) was ‘very poor’ in most parts of Delhi on Friday. After all, capital Delhi’s AQI was 471 on Friday.
Air quality has been poor since last Friday. As the days progressed, the situation got worse and worse. But to top it all off, air quality in the capital reached its worst level this season so far on Friday.
Last Friday the AQI of the Indian capital was 216, Saturday 304, Sunday 325, Monday 347, Tuesday 359, Wednesday 364, Thursday was 422.
Air quality is ‘good’ if the AQI is between 0 and 50. 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’. 101-200 is ‘fairly normal’. 201-300 is ‘bad’. 301-400 is ‘very bad’. 401-500 is ‘very very bad’. The Center has already launched Stage Three of the ‘Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)’ to prevent pollution. GRAP is divided into four parts. Stage 1 (Bad, AQI 201-300), Stage Two (Very Bad, AQI 301-400), Stage Three (Malignant, AQI 401-450), Stage 4 (Extremely Malignant, AQI above 450).
This morning many areas of Delhi were covered in thick smog. Visibility also comes down. The Delhi Municipality has started the work of draining water in several areas of the capital to reduce the smog situation.
The municipality says the move is being made to improve air quality. CPCB said air quality samples tested at Lodhi Road, Jahangirpuri, RK Puram, Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday showed AQIs of 438, 491, 486 and 473 in those areas respectively.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered closure of all primary schools on November 3 and 4 as pollution levels rise in the capital.
A ban has also been imposed on non-essential construction activities from Thursday evening to deal with the situation. A ban has already been imposed on driving BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel vehicles. Besides, diesel vehicles from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh are also not allowed to enter the capital.
Besides, ‘Red Light On, Car Off’ campaign is being run. According to administration sources, 1000 CNG-powered private buses will be put on the streets of the capital.
Delhiites are advised to use Metro more instead of cars. 20 additional rakes have been lowered so as not to cause any inconvenience to the public.
On the other hand, in Haryana’s Gurugram, pollution has reached such levels that Section 144 had to be imposed. In Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, sectors 1, 62 and 116 have reached ‘very bad’ levels of pollution.
Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are blamed for stubble burning. Due to which Delhi became a ‘gas chamber’ in the winter season. As a result, Arvind Kejriwal’s government has already taken several steps so that the capital does not become a ‘gas chamber’ this season. But even after that, since the beginning of November, the air quality of the capital started to deteriorate, the administration is getting worried.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to take necessary steps to prevent pollution as the air quality worsened. Delhi and four states have been asked to file affidavits in this regard within five weeks.
On the other hand, rising air pollution has also overshadowed India’s hosting of the Cricket World Cup. The next match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is scheduled to be played in Delhi next Monday.
Last year, the list of the world’s most polluted cities was topped by Lahore in Pakistan and Hotan in China, with Delhi in fourth place.
