Delhi: The air quality in the national capital remained in ‘severe’ category on Friday morning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). AQI was recorded at 430 on Thursday at 6 am. A layer of fog also covered parts of the city affecting visibility. Minimum temperature dropped to 5 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow alert for today with maximum temperature predicted at 24 degrees Celsius and minimum temperature at 6 degrees Celsius.
Delhi Pollution: Air Quality Across Delhi
Anand Vihar (458), Alipur (427), Bawana (468), Ashok Vihar (457), Jahangirpuri (450), Rohini (454), Pusa (396), Patparganj (447), Vivek Vihar (452), Wazirpur (463), Shadipur (437), Narela (432), Mundka (465).
#WATCH | Delhi: A layer of fog engulfs the national capital as coldwave grips the city.
Visuals from Kartavya Path. pic.twitter.com/qb5lm2TdTj
---Advertisement---— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024
Residents Demand Action
Talking to ANI, Bhagat Singh, a local resident, said, “Pollution has become an incurable disease, especially for Delhi. This is a problem every year. Earlier, several people went for a morning walk here, but now, a lot of them have quit due to pollution. A willpower by the government is needed to resolve this issue.”
SC On Delhi Pollution
Furthermore, the Supreme Court on Thursday, directed the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to implement complete bans on firecrackers similar to that imposed in Delhi.
The apex court was hearing matter pertaining to air pollution in Delhi-NCR, with focus on the year-round ban on firecrackers, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), and implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
It also directed the NCR states to constitute multiple teams comprising officials of the police, revenue, and other departments to visit entry points to Delhi and monitor compliance with GRAP IV measures.
“Considering the magnitude of the task, all NCR states shall create multiple teams. We also make it clear that the members of the teams so constituted will work as officers of this court and not officers of any government. So long as GRAP III and GRAP IV measures are in force, they shall regularly submit reports regarding compliance as well as breaches to the respective governments and stakeholders and give copies to the CAQM so that immediate action can be taken,” said the Supreme Court.
GRAP IV Measures In Effect
Notably, GRAP stage IV measures have been in effect in the entire NCR since December 16 after the deterioration in air quality. This decision came into effect after Delhi’s AQI surpassed the 400 mark after remaining ‘poor’ for several days. On Monday night, the AQI was reported as 399 at 9 PM and crossed into the severe zone at 401 by 10 PM.
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