Delhi’s air quality index was 315 at 11:10 a.m. The last time it hit such a low was in February
New Delhi:
A blanket of smoky haze has settled over Delhi-NCR today with air quality in the region reaching ‘very low’ levels, even though anti-air pollution measures Stricter rules, including a ban on power generators, have come into force as part of the Graduated Response Action Plan (GRAP).
NASA satellite images showed a large cluster of farm fires near Amritsar, Patiala, Firozpur and Faridkot in Punjab and Ambala and Rajpura in Haryana.
However, the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi said its impact on the capital’s air quality was marginal.
Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 315 at 11:10 a.m. today.
The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 315 at 11:10 a.m. The last time the air quality hit such a poor level was in February.
The 24-hour average AQI was 276 on Wednesday, which falls into the “poor” category. It was 300 Tuesday, 261 Monday, 216 Sunday and 221 Saturday.
ITO (AQI 372), Vivek Vihar (AQI 370) and Shadipur (AQI 359) recorded the highest pollution levels on Thursday morning.
The air quality in nearby cities of Faridabad (317), Ghaziabad (326), Greater Noida (344) and Noida (314) was also in the red zone.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “average”, 201 and 300 “bad”, 301 and 400 “very bad” and 401 and 500 “serious”.
A senior scientist from the Indian Meteorological Department said the drop in air quality could be attributed to the low wind speed which allowed pollutants to build up.
PM10 levels at Delhi-NCR jumped to 300 micrograms per cubic meter (g / m3) at 9:30 a.m. – the highest this season to date. PM10 levels below 100g / m3 are considered safe in India.
PM10 are particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers and are inhalable in the lungs. These particles include dust, pollen and mold spores.
The levels of fine PM2.5 particles that can even enter the bloodstream were 151 g / m3. PM2.5 levels up to 60 g / m3 are considered safe.
The GRAP – a package of anti-pollution measures monitored in Delhi and its neighboring cities depending on the severity of the situation – goes into effect Thursday.
It was notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2017 for implementation through the Authority (Prevention and Control) of Environmental Pollution mandated by the Supreme Court.
GRAP measures include increasing bus and metro services, increasing parking fees, and stopping the use of diesel generators when air quality becomes poor.
When the situation becomes “serious”, GRAP recommends the closure of brick kilns, stone crushers and hot mix plants, water sprinkling, frequent mechanized cleaning of roads and maximization of production. electricity from natural gas.
Steps to be taken in the “emergency” situation include stopping entry of trucks into Delhi, banning construction activities, and introducing the odd-numbered car ration system.
However, the EPCA had earlier told Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh that they “should try to avoid taking further emergency measures to tackle pollution because the economy is already energized after locking. make sure there are no more disruptions. “
As Delhi-NCR braces for months of poor air quality, experts have warned that high levels of air pollution may make the COVID-19 pandemic worse.
Severe air pollution in Delhi is an ongoing problem, which can be attributed to inclement weather conditions, farm fires in neighboring areas and local sources of pollution.
According to an analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a Delhi-based think tank, transport contributes the most – 18 to 39% – to air pollution in Delhi.
Road dust is the second largest source of air pollution in the city (18 to 38%), followed by industries (2 to 29%), thermal power stations (3 to 11%) and construction (8% ).
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
