Delhi air ‘very poor’, AQI at 323, no relief from high pollution,

According to monitoring agencies, Delhi and its suburbs registered Marginal improvement on November 19, Sunday, but major relief from high pollution levels is unlikely over the next few days. Delhi registered13.2 degree Celsius temperature today as per India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Following an improvement in air quality, restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) – 4 were lifted in Delhi, but Environment Minister Gopal Rai advised people to continue following the rules since stages 1, 2, and 3 of GRAP are still in effect to combat air pollution, according to ANI.

Gopal Rai said, “Though there has been a constant improvement in air quality, people still need to be aware in order to maintain this improvement,” as quoted by ANI.

“There has been constant improvement in pollution levels over the last two days. The AQI as of today has reached 290. I want to request the people of Delhi and North India to remain vigilant. Although there has been improvement in pollution, we still need to be cautious. Before Diwali, the AQI had reached 215, but the carelessness that followed led to an increase in the AQI after Diwali,” he said on Sunday, November 19 the report added.

Despite an improvement in Delhi’s air quality, the CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management) revoked restrictions imposed under GRAP 4 on Saturday, allowing trucks and buses to enter the city except for BS-3 and BS-4 petrol and diesel vehicles, and lifting the ban on construction, as per the report.

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’, 401 and 450 ‘severe’ and above 450 ‘severe plus’, according to PTI.

The Centre on Saturday removed stringent curbs, including a ban on construction work related to linear projects and the entry of polluting trucks into Delhi in view of a dip in air pollution levels due to favourable wind speed and direction, the report added.

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Updated: 21 Nov 2023, 07:07 AM IST