The air quality in Delhi remains a grave concern as the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 304 in the “very poor” category on Thursday at 6 a.m., according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
While a slight improvement was observed earlier in the week when AQI fell to the “poor” category on Tuesday, pollution levels escalated again by Wednesday and have continued to remain critical.
There are a few areas in the national capital that are reportedly experiencing "severe" air quality.
According to the CPCB, Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 357, Ashok Vihar at 318, Bawana at 341, Burari Crossing at 320, Jahangirpuri at 354, and Mundka at 364. Severe air pollution was reported from other places also including Dwarka Sector 8 at 332, Narela at 312, and Shadipur at 351. Meanwhile, places like Chandni Chowk at 293, Lodhi Road at 261, and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 267 were in the "poor" to "very poor" categories.
In the National Capital Region, Faridabad had an AQI of 176 in the "moderate" category while Gurugram 221, Greater Noida 227, Ghaziabad 260, and Noida 282 continued to be in the "poor" category. The persistent smog has engulfed the Delhi-NCR region and is contributing to reduced visibility and higher health risks.
The AQI varies between 0 and 50, which is good; 51-100 satisfactory; 101-200 moderate; 201-300 poor; 301-400 very poor; 401-450 severe; and more than 450 severe plus, as per the CPCB.
The Supreme Court refused to relax the restrictions put under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan, which is supposed to curtail the levels of pollutants in the air, it said on Monday.
Measures include the ban on the entry of non-essential trucks, except those carrying essential commodities or running on cleaner fuels like LNG, CNG, BS-VI diesel, or electricity. Construction activities on public infrastructure projects have also been suspended to check dust pollution.
The authorities have already advised the residents to reduce outdoor activities and take all preventive measures to ensure health safety.
The alarming levels of pollution call for immediate and sustainable pollution control measures to deal with the current crisis in the region.
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