- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: Smoggy conditions persist in Delhi-NCR, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the ‘severe’ category. As of 7:30 a.m. today, the overall AQI for Delhi was recorded at 428, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Data from CPCB indicated that out of 35 monitoring stations, most areas reported severe air quality, with AQI levels exceeding 400. The breakdown of AQI classifications is as follows: 0-50 is ‘good’, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 is ‘moderate’, 201-300 is ‘poor’, 301-400 is ‘very poor’, 401-450 is ‘severe’, and levels over 450 are categorized as ‘severe-plus’.
In various cities within the Delhi-NCR, air pollution levels were as follows: Faridabad at 268, Gurugram at 287, Ghaziabad at 379, Greater Noida at 342, and Noida at 304. In Delhi, several areas reported AQI levels above 400, such as Anand Vihar (457), Ashok Vihar (466), Aya Nagar (426), and Bawana (471).
Delhi’s air quality worsened to the severe category on Saturday, with an AQI of 417, up from Friday’s reading of 396. The deterioration in air quality since October has been linked to multiple factors, including firecrackers and stubble burning in neighboring states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
In response to the escalating pollution levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Friday. Under GRAP-3, construction and demolition activities are suspended, non-essential mining is halted, and interstate buses that are not electric, CNG, or BS-VI compliant are restricted. Additionally, schools have been advised to close for students up to Class 5 in the Delhi-NCR region. The Haryana government has also empowered local authorities to temporarily shut physical classes for the same grade levels in their districts.
