Page 10 - Delhi Air Quality

Punjab rapped for failure to control stubble burning surge ahead of Diwali

On Monday and Tuesday, 1,045 events of stubble burning were reported as against 114 events during the same period in 2021

Air quality-driven construction ban may delay realty projects in Delhi-NCR

568,000 housing units are under various stages of completion. Periodic bans by NGT, govt, or apex court in response to poor air quality have serious consequences, say experts

Smog-covered festivities for Delhi-NCR as stubble burning, Diwali coincide

Ongoing construction across NCR to exacerbate situation; While the number of residue-burning cases reported so far is about half of last year's figure, it is likely to shoot up in the days ahead

Air quality in national capital remains poor, no improvement likely

The minimum temperature in Delhi on Tuesday settled at 17.5 degrees Celsius, even as the air quality stayed in the poor category. The city recorded a relative humidity of 85 per cent at 8:30 AM, according to data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature on Monday was also recorded at 17.5 degrees Celsius, while the maximum stood at 32.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal. The MeT Office has forecast mainly clear sky later in the day, with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 32 degrees Celsius. Delhi's air quality remained poor for the third consecutive day on Tuesday. No improvement is likely in the next six days, forecasting agencies said here 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.

Air pollution: 491 construction, demolition sites in Delhi-NCR to be shut

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Saturday it has issued directions for the closure of 491 construction and demolition sites, including 110 in Delhi, for flouting air pollution control norms. The CAQM has set up 40 flying squads to rigorously monitor enforcement and compliance of its directions to ameliorate the air quality of Delhi-NCR. These flying squads have inspected more than 8,580 construction and demolition sites till October 14. Closure directions have been issued to 491 defaulters -- 110 in Delhi, 118 in Haryana, 211 in Uttar Pradesh and 52 in Rajasthan -- a statement said. The flying squads have been conducting surprise inspections and field-level incognito checks at industrial units, construction and demolition sites, commercial and residential units, air pollution hotspots, etc. The CAQM also advised state implementing agencies, including state pollution control boards and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, to ensure compliance and strict ...

Delhi: CAQM advises implementation of air pollution norms, warns of action

Intensifying its actions in the battle against air pollution in Delhi-NCR in the coming days, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) urged all concerned including Industries and Project Proponents of Construction and Demolition (C & D) sites to strictly follow the statutory directions issued by the Commission, said the officials on Saturday.The general masses have also been advised to strictly follow the steps highlighted in the Citizen Charter in each stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the coming days.The 40 inspection teams/ flying squads constituted by the Commission are under directions to intensify inspections, supervise and rigorously monitor enforcement and compliance of statutory directions issued by the Commission to ameliorate the air quality of Delhi-NCR.These flying squads will conduct surprise inspections and field-level incognito checks at industrial units, C & D sites, commercial/ residential units, air ...

Air quality likely to worsen in next few days due to stubble burning

Now that the rains and strong winds have stopped, the national capital will witness air pollution rising, said Dr Ravi Kant Pathak

Delhi sees season's first fog; air quality enter poor category by weekend

Delhi reported the season's first episode of fog on Wednesday morning which lowered visibility levels to 350 metres in some parts of the capital. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 20.2 degrees Celsius, a notch below the normal. The maximum temperature settled at around 31 degrees Celsius. Senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) R K Jenamani said the increased moisture content in the air due to a prolonged spell of rain and low temperatures led to the formation of moderate fog in Delhi. "This is the capital's first fog of the season," he said. According to the IMD, very dense fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, 51 and 200 is dense, 201 and 500 moderate, and 501 and 1,000 metres shallow . Another IMD official said visibility at the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, had dropped to 600 metres and to 350 metres at the Palam weather station at 8.30 am. This improved to 2,100 metres at Palam by 9 am and at Safdarjung

Bhupender Yadav holds meeting on air pollution with NCR states, Punjab

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav held a virtual meeting with the Environment Ministers of Delhi, NCR states, and Punjab to manage the issue of air pollution in NCR

Why clean air comes at a premium under a central plan to reduce pollution

The NCAP is a pollution control initiative aimed at reducing the concentration of particulate matter in the atmosphere by at least 20 per cent by 2024

Hyperlocal emissions behind spike in Delhi's air pollution after Dussehra

Delhi's air quality turned poor on Dussehra, though the early warning system of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology had predicted moderate to satisfactory air quality in the capital. IITM officials said that they did not record any substantial changes in parameters like temperature, wind speed and emissions from farm fires on October 5 and "hyperlocal emissions" could have impacted the air quality. The possible sources of these emissions could be the large number of effigies burnt on the occasion of Dussehra and during a political protest, they said. With the air quality in Delhi dropping to the 'poor' category on Wednesday, authorities in the National Capital Region (NCR) have been asked to strictly implement measures under "Stage 1" of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) which include penal and legal action against polluting industrial units. The Centre's sub-committee on GRAP noted in a meeting that there has been a "sudden dip" in air quality parameters in the regio

Delhi's air quality turns 'poor'; CAQM to enforce stage-1 control measures

Measures under stage-1 of the Graded Response Action Plan will be enforced in the NCR with immediate effect, according to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management

In Delhi-NCR, 344 units got closure notices for air pollution since Dec

According to CAQM data, as of September 30, 8,270 sites had been inspected

Delhi govt launches 15-point winter action plan to combat air pollution

The action plan includes the installation of 233 anti-smog guns and at least 150 mobile anti-smog guns

Delhi's AQI settled mostly under 'moderate' category in September: CPCB

Due to spells of rains, the national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) settled mostly under the 'moderate' category in September, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed. An AQI between 101 and 200 falls under the 'moderate' category. According to data, September's monthly average AQI has increased by 24 per cent in comparison to 2021, which was recorded at 78. Meanwhile, the average AQI in September 2020 stood at 118 and 111 in 2019. "General AQI in September predominantly remains poor. However, rainfall triggers dip in AQI to 'satisfactory' and 'good' categories. September and October are the transition months. Hence, the AQI starts deteriorating," former head of CPCB's air lab, Dipankar Saha said. Awareness campaigns must be started during the AQI transition periods, he added.

Gopal Rai writes to Centre, seeks joint plan to fight Delhi air pollution

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday wrote to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, seeking time to discuss and prepare a joint action plan to fight air pollution in the national capital in winter. The Delhi government is committed to providing clean air to people and is working on short-term and long-term measures. These measures are being implemented through action plans for summers and winters, he said. Rai said the Delhi government's efforts have led to an increase in the number of "satisfactory" (AQ1 51 to 100) and "moderate" (AQI 101 to 200) air quality days. He said like the last two years, the Delhi government has prepared a winter action plan to fight air pollution. "We request you to give us time to prepare a plan to save Delhi from the possible danger of air pollution in the coming months," he wrote in the letter to Yadav, who is the Union environment minister. Last year also, Rai wrote several letters to Yadav, calling for emergency meetings to discuss the air ...

Over 7,000 trees illegally felled, damaged in Delhi in a year, shows data

Last year between January 1 and June 30, Delhi's forest department received over 4,100 complaints in the south forest division of trees being illegally damaged in violation of the provisions

Surplus rains give Delhi 24 'satisfactory' air quality days this July

Only July 2020 was better with an average AQI of 84 -- the city had recorded a significant decline in pollution levels that year due to the strict lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid.

Consistent improvement in Delhi's air quality: Environment minister Yadav

The number of 'good', 'satisfactory' and 'moderate' days in Delhi has increased to 197 in 2021 as against 108 in 2016.

AQI around 70: This July, air in Delhi is the cleanest it has been in 6 yrs

In July, Delhi's air quality is generally cleaner, owing to the monsoons, but this year, patchy rainfall and other meteorological factors have helped in cleaning the air, say experts