Calm winds, local emissions worsen Delhi’s air quality
Calm winds, local emissions and dipping temperatures led to the Capital’s pollution worsening on Thursday, with Delhi recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 368 (very poor), showed data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) 4pm bulletin.
Delhi also witnessed shallow fog and mist in the early hours, with the minimum temperature recorded at 8.3 degrees Celsius -- the same as Wednesday -while the maximum temperature was recorded at 25.4 degrees Celsius, which is around normal for this time of the season.
“Owing to a western disturbance, there is a slight rise in the minimum temperature, and the same disturbance has also led to a change in wind speed… The moisture content has also increased and this will lead to a drop in the maximum temperature and a slight rise in minimum temperature as heat during the day will not be able to reach the surface completely, while the same heat will take time in escaping at night,” said RK Jenamani, scientist at India Meteorological Department.
CAQM: Hry, Raj, UP can’t register diesel, petrol autos in NCR from Jan 1
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has told the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan that starting January 1, 2023, no diesel or petrol auto-rickshaws will be registered across the National Capital
Region (NCR), and only autos running on CNG or electricity will be permitted.
The commission, in an order dated November 30, has asked the transport departments of the three states to register only CNG or electric auto-rickshaws from January 1. For Gurugram, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida) and Ghaziabad, the deadline to phase out diesel autos has been set as December 31, 2024. For the districts of Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar (all Haryana) and Baghpat (UP), the deadline is December 31, 2025, while for the rest of NCR, it is December 31, 2026, the panel said.
“Although a handful, petrolrun autos too will not be allowed to be registered in NCR, with only CNG or electric the permissible fuel mode,” a CAQM official clarified, adding that there are no timelines in place to phase out petrol-run autos.
To be sure, transport department figures from Gurguram reveal that only around 1,200 diesel-run and 31 petrol-run autos ply in the city, while Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar have 316 diesel autos each.