New Delhi [India]: The air quality in the national capital witnessed a slight improvement in comparison to last week, as the AQI dipped from hazardous to an unhealthy level on Monday morning.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall AQI in Delhi was recorded at 281 as of 8 am as a thin layer of haze covered parts of the city this morning.
The air quality index in the metropolitan city was reeling under the ‘severe plus’ category for 4-5 days in the past week.
Visuals show commuters make their way to work, office as a haze of smoke and fog engulfs the city.
People engaged in their routine morning walks, while others were seen jogging and excercising near Kartavya Path today morning.
Drone visuals from the area around Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) also showed haze filled atmosphere as the AQI remains in ‘poor’ category.
Likewise, the Akshardham Temple in the Pandav Nagar area of Delhi remained concealed in a thin layer of smog.
Amidst the rising pollution levels in Delhi, the government has instructed the administration to use truck-mount water sprinklers to mitigate the effects of air pollution.
Visuals from the Shaheen Bagh area show a truck-mounted water sprinkler spraying water on road.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is severe.
Meanwhile, drone visuals captured frothy layer of toxic foam in River Yamuna in the Kalindi Kunj area, as the pollution level in the river continues to remain high.
The toxic foam has continued to persist on the surface of the Yamuna River for the past several days.
With the onset of the winter season, Delhites and other residents have complained of breathing difficulties, fever and other health issues as they urged the concerned authorities to find a permanent solution to the rising pollution levels.
As winter grips parts of the country, the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra looked ethereal amid a thin layer of smog this morning.
Earlier, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi government and Police to immediately set up checkpoints on all 113 entry points to Delhi to check the entry of trucks in the national capital. It appointed 13 members of the Bar as court commissioners to visit the entry points to Delhi and verify whether entry of trucks is being stopped.
The apex court expressed dissatisfaction with the compliance of GRAP IV measures saying despite orders passed by the apex court and CAQM, there is a failure on the part of the Delhi government and Police to comply with clauses under GRAP stage IV.
As per the GRAP-IV restrictions imposed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the entry of trucks is prohibited to Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution.
Keeping in view the rising level of pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), imposing restrictions like bans on truck entry and a halt to public construction projects.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has urged Chief Secretary Dharmendra for strict enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to address the worsening air quality in the national capital. The minister highlighted the need for coordinated efforts in all departments to implement the Winter Action Plan-2024 and achieve sustained improvements in air quality.
Rai directed that all departments should also submit daily reports on actions taken and the progress made in implementing GRAP. He stressed the importance of strict enforcement mechanisms to penalize violators of air pollution norms.