Layer of haze lingers in Delhi as air quality remains ‘poor’

New Delhi, October 13 

A layer of haze lingered over the Capital on Sunday as air quality in several parts of the city plunged to the “very poor” category, days before strict measures to fight air pollution come into force under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). 

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Anand Vihar, Wazirpur, Vivek Vihar, Mundka, Bawana, Jahangirpuri was 327, 323, 317, 309, 302 and 300 respectively, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. 

The overall AQI deteriorated further and touched the 268 mark, which falls in the poor category. The air quality in neibhouring Ghaziabad (320) and Noida (310) in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana’s Alipur Khalsa (351) and Panipat (339) also turned “very poor” by 4.30 pm. 

Faridabad, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Murthal recorded an AQI at 290, 233, 280, 259 and 245 respectively. An AQI between 0 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’. 

Perturbed by the situation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “All the gains achieved so far on pollution front will be nullified. Whereas, we need to do a lot in Delhi and we are trying, however, all governments and all agencies need to work to stop crop burning also (sic).” 

The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research said smoke from stubble-burning will make up six per cent of Delhi’s pollution by October 15, when GRAP comes into force in the Delhi-NCR region. 

 VK Soni, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department, who attended the meeting, said winds were calm due to monsoon withdrawal, leading to low dispersion of pollutants. Also, wind direction had changed to west and north west, he said. Westerly and northwesterly winds bring dust from western regions and smoke caused by burning of crop residue in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana to Delhi-NCR. — PTI

Distributing pollution masks to awaken govt: Tiwari 

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Sunday distributed anti-pollution masks among people at Central Park in Connaught Place, alleging Kejriwal government has failed to check air pollution in the city as it “works in advertisements”. Tiwari also charged that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is seeking credit abroad for bringing down pollution whereas Modi government has done ground level works for this.