Delhi air pollution

Under Stage 2 of GRAP, the use of diesel generators is also not allowed except for essential services related to national security, defence-related activities, projects of national importance, telecommunication, data services, medical, railway and metro rail services, airports, inter-state bus terminals, sewage treatment plants, and water pumping stations.

The bursting of firecrackers on Diwali will attract jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200 in the city. Addressing a press meet, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said: "This time also, the storage, sale and use of firecrackers has been banned." The matter was also raised during the meeting with the Centre, he added.

According to a forecast issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) on Sunday, the AQI in Delhi will remain in the 'poor' category till Wednesday and the subsequent six days. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that the AQI of Anand Vihar was recorded at 428 or the 'severe' category on Monday.

Measures under 'stage-1' of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will be enforced in the national capital region with immediate effect, according to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). According to the order issued by the CAQM: "It was noted that there has been a sudden dip in air quality parameters in the last 24 hours in the region which led to the AQI for Delhi moving into the "POOR" category.

New Delhi has been ranked the world's most polluted capital city for a second consecutive year followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh), N'Djamena (Chad), Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and Muscat (Oman). Of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia in 2021, 12 were in India. New Delhi saw a 14.6% increase in PM2.5 concentration in 2021, 96.4 Ig/m3, up from 84 Ig/m3 in 2020. The annual PM2.5 concentration averages in 48% of India's cities, exceeded 50 Ig/m3 or more than 10 times the WHO air quality guidelines.

This alarming observation was found in a detailed, all-India winter air quality analysis done by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and released on Wednesday. Even though the overall regional averages of PM2.5 levels were lower than the previous winter in most regions, the winter smog episodes recorded severe spikes in several regions.

The people continued to breathe polluted air, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 256 for PM10 and 148 for PM2.5. The PM2.5 level was under the 'very poor' category.

"This analysis of real time air quality data for the period 2019-2021 shows that the downward dip in pollution that was induced by the hard lockdown phases of the pandemic in 2020 is threatening to bounce back with the levels in 2021 already rising. But in many cases, the levels are still lower than 2019. This underscores the urgency of scaling up action across all sectors to prevent further worsening and to arrest the trend in this region," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at CSE.

The level of both PM 2.5 and PM 10 pollutants at 10 a. m. stood in the "good" category of 46 and 63, respectively. 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", then 401 and between 500 is considered "severe." According to the air quality and weather bulletin, the air quality over Delhi-NCT is likely to deteriorate marginally but remain in the "moderate to poor category" on January 11. The winds are likely to be relatively slow and thereby low ventilation causing the air quality to deteriorate.

"The Air Quality Index was recorded at 404 (readings of 401 and above is 'severe'). PM10 was 401 (351 to 430 is 'very poor') and PM2.5 was 276 (251 and above is 'severe')," the Chief Minister informed on social media.