The air in the capital Delhi, continues to remain toxic. On Monday morning, thick smog enveloped many areas of the city, pushing the air quality into the "very poor" category. The air quality index in the area around AIIMS was recorded at 378.
AQI levels in Delhi
Drone images taken this morning showed areas around Barapullah Bridge and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium shrouded in a thick blanket of smog. The AQI here was 310, which falls in the "very poor" category. Similarly, the AQI at India Gate and Kartavya Path also recorded 326, further indicating the deteriorating air quality in the city.
Air Quality Index Status in Various Areas:
Around AIIMS - 378 AQI
Around Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium - 310 AQI
India Gate and Kartavya Path - 326 AQI
Anand Vihar - 379 AQI
Tilak Marg - 376 AQI
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Delhi government of manipulating air quality data. AAP Delhi President Saurabh Bhardwaj said the government is shutting down AQI monitoring stations to underreport pollution. Spraying is being carried out in areas with high AQI. He claimed the government's intention is not to reduce pollution, but to underreport it. Bhardwaj said the public's anger is due to the government's deception and manipulation of data.
Rahul Gandhi Attacks Central Government on Air Pollution
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday strongly criticized the central government for targeting citizens protesting against rising air pollution at India Gate in Delhi. He stressed that the "right to clean air" is a fundamental human right and that peaceful protesters should not be treated like criminals.
In a post on Twitter, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of "vote theft" and indifference to the worsening pollution crisis. He urged immediate and decisive action to protect the health and future of millions of Indians. Rahul Gandhi said that pollution levels in Delhi are rising dangerously, and those raising their voices against this serious problem are being suppressed by the government. This is utter injustice. Clean air is every citizen's right, and it is wrong to treat those peacefully protesting for this right as criminals.
The Congress leader accused the central government of diverting public attention from real issues, saying that the BJP government is resorting to tactics like "vote theft" to divert public attention, while the real issue is the future of our children and the air in our cities. He urged the government to take the fight against pollution seriously and take concrete steps.
PM10 and PM2.5 levels remained at this level.
On the other hand, at 4 pm, the PM10 concentration was recorded at 316.4 micrograms per cubic meter, and the PM2.5 concentration at 189.6 micrograms per cubic meter. According to the CPCB, air quality was recorded in the severe and very poor categories at several monitoring stations in the capital, while the AQI in some areas remained moderate. Since Diwali, the AQI in many areas of Delhi has remained in the poor and very poor categories, while Graded Response Action Plan-2 (GRAP-2) restrictions are still in effect. According to the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, construction pollution in Delhi accounted for 2.66 percent, and peripheral industries for 3.49 percent.
GRAP 3 may be imposed in Delhi
The Central Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) may impose the third stage of GRAP due to the continuously deteriorating air quality in Delhi. If the AQI crosses 400, it is possible that GRAP 3 may be imposed. Grape 3 is imposed in Delhi when the AQI reaches the severe category. However, it has previously been imposed at levels around 350, following the advice of the Supreme Court. This prohibits non-essential construction and demolition activities, and measures such as implementing a hybrid mode in schools are taken. According to experts, air pollution levels may be slightly higher than normal due to weather conditions and vehicle emissions.
Poor Air for the 26th Consecutive Day
According to the CPCB, Delhiites breathed poor air on Sunday for the 26th consecutive day. Delhi's air quality reached the poor category on October 14th this season. Since then, pollution levels have consistently remained in the poor or very poor categories. This season, Delhi experienced regular western disturbances, resulting in above-normal rainfall in May and June. Following this, a good monsoon also resulted in above-normal rainfall in July, August, and September. While the temperature dropped due to good rainfall, the air also remained cleaner to a great extent than before.
Daily Fluctuations
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is fluctuating by more than 85 points daily. Experts say such fluctuations can be extremely dangerous for health. This increases people's carelessness and makes them less serious about pollution. According to experts, such a wide variation in pollution levels daily increases the risk, further exacerbating this fluctuation. Furthermore, in many areas, air quality monitoring station screens have been out of order since Diwali, preventing people from knowing the pollution levels in their areas.
AQI Levels in the NCR
After Delhi, Noida's Air Quality Index (AQI) has now crossed 400. On Sunday morning, Noida Sector 62 recorded an AQI of 405, which falls in the severe category. A day earlier, on November 8th, Noida's AQI was 354, and Greater Noida's AQI was 336. On Sunday, Vasundhara recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 403, which falls in the severe category. For the third consecutive day, the air remained toxic. Ghaziabad, with an AQI of 345, was the fifth most polluted city in the country.
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