Once more, Delhi finds itself enveloped in the grip of hazardous air quality, plunging several areas into the ‘very poor’ category. The air quality index in Delhi-NCR has surged, mirroring a distressing trend witnessed in at least nine state capitals across the country. The Meteorological Department’s prognosis offers little respite for NCR residents, indicating a prolonged period of unhealthy air quality.

Experts attribute this deteriorating air quality to the unidirectional north-westerly winds, impeding the dispersion of polluting particles into the atmosphere. Consequently, pollution levels persist at alarming highs. Coupled with cold winds expected in the coming days, concerns loom over an exacerbation of this crisis.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported severe air quality index (AQI) levels: Anand Vihar at 430, RKpuram at 417, Punjabi Bagh at 423, and Janhagirpuri registering a staggering AQI of 428.

Simultaneously, the issue has ignited political debate, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging the Delhi government’s failure in enforcing strict measures against firecracker bursting during Diwali. They argue this lax enforcement has contributed to the resurgence of pollution post-festivities. In response, Environment Minister Gopal Rai shifted the responsibility onto the police, underlining that controlling firecracker activities in Delhi falls under the purview of the central government. He further cited the failure of authorities in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to curb firecracker usage as contributing to the spike in pollution levels.

As of 6 am on Wednesday, the pollution levels across different areas of Delhi-NCR are alarmingly high, painting a distressing picture:
– Delhi: 370
– Lodhi Road: 357
– Delhi University: 394
– Airport Area: 393
– Noida: 382
– IIT Delhi: 381
– Gurugram: 373
– Greater Noida: 348
– Ghaziabad: 356

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