Air quality remains ‘severe’

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 15

Air quality of the capital continued to be severe for the fourth consecutive day today even as a steady breeze led to a marginal dip in the city’s air pollution levels.

Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain also held a meeting in the evening to ensure measures, including mechanical road sweeping and sprinkling of water on roads, are adequately taken to check dust pollution as decided during the meeting yesterday. The civic bodies said they have stepped up anti-pollution measures.

Today, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation issued over 170 challans and sealed at least 12 buildings a day after the Lt Governor directed stoppage of all civil construction activities across the city till Sunday as part of emergency measures in the wake of the capital witnessing a sudden rise in dust pollution.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), for the day PM10 level (presence of particles with diameter less than 10 mm) in Delhi-NCR was recorded at 754 and 801 in Delhi even as there was some improvement in the level of PM2.5 (presence of particles with diameter less than 2.5 mm) that had earlier slumped from 'very poor' to 'severe' at 184 in Delhi region and 175 in Delhi NCR. Yesterday, the PM2.5 level in Delhi-NCR stood at around 268 and Delhi at 277.

Like the south civic body, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) said it has issued challans from June 11-15 and imposed penalty worth “over Rs 20 lakh in that period” for violations of the National Green Tribunal norms.

The SDMC also conducted water sprinkling in many areas, like Ayanagar, Dabri Mor, Greater Kailash, Prahlaladpur, Bijwasn Village, Bindapur, Amar Colony, Najafgarh Road, Palam railway station, among other places.