A layer of smog was seen in Delhi on Saturday morning as air quality in several parts of the national capital slipped into the 'very poor' category, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The AQI remained poor in parts of Delhi-NCR on Friday, but deteriorated on Saturday morning.
At the time of writing, the AQI in Anand Vihar, Rohini, Mundka, Dwarka-Sector 8, Narela and Jahangirpuri was 334, 340, 372, 343, 328 and 353, respectively, all in the 'very poor' category.
The aforementioned areas are among the 13 identified hotspots where the AQI has risen to over 300 in the last few days, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai informed.
Meanwhile, the air quality in Bhikaji Cama Place, ITO, India Gate and AIIMS remained in the 'poor' category, with an AQI of 273, 226, 251 and 253, respectively.
The 24-hour average AQI in Delhi was 292 at 4 pm on Friday, in the 'poor' category. Similarly, the air quality in Gurugram and Ghaziabad and Greater Noida was in the 'poor' category as well, with AQI of 204, 258 and 264, respectively.
"To reduce dust pollution, coordination committees for each location have been formed to identify and mitigate local sources of pollution at 13 hotspots," Rai said.
According to an official statement, 80 mobile anti-smog guns have been installed in the hotspot areas.
Factors that contribute to worsening air quality include emissions from sources such as stubble and waste burning. Unfavourable weather conditions also prevent the effective dispersion of pollutants, leading to significant health concerns.
Previously, the Delhi government announced proper implementation of Graded Response Action Plan-1 (GRAP-1) measures to improve air quality in the city.
Stage 1 of the GRAP, a set of winter-specific anti-pollution measures, focusses on controlling pollution through dust mitigation at construction sites, proper waste management, and regular road cleaning.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi had earlier asked residents of Delhi to avoid burning firecrackers and carpool as much as possible to help in bringing down the air quality levels.
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", and 401 and 500 "severe".
Source: India Today