Delhi’s air quality continues to remain in the “severe” category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Friday recorded at 430, showing only a slight improvement from Thursday’s 448. Despite the implementation of strict Stage-4 measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the air quality has not seen significant improvement. Various parts of the city have experienced alarmingly high AQI readings. For example, Anand Vihar recorded 458, Bawana reached 468, and Rohini recorded 454, all well within the “severe” range.
The AQI levels in Delhi have been fluctuating, and different monitoring stations have reported hazardous air quality across the city. As part of GRAP, strict restrictions are enforced when the AQI crosses certain thresholds. When the AQI hits 201-300, it triggers Stage 1 measures; at 301-400, Stage 2 is implemented, while Stage 3 is enacted when it crosses 400-450. The most severe restrictions are imposed under Stage 4 when the AQI exceeds 450.
The city’s air quality crisis has been exacerbated by a mix of factors, including stubble burning and firecracker use. According to Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh, stubble burning contributed an average of 10.6% to Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution from October 8 to December 7. This problem, coupled with stagnant winds, low temperatures, and inversion conditions, has created a perfect storm of pollution during the winter months. The government has acknowledged that high levels of human activities in the region, along with these environmental factors, have led to the ongoing air pollution crisis in North India.
Efforts to combat the issue are ongoing, but with the winter season continuing, Delhi’s residents are likely to face severe air quality conditions for the foreseeable future.
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