DELHI’S AIR QUALITY STAYS ‘VERY POOR’ DESPITE EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Emission level be displayed on website till November 10: Citizen’s group urges EPCA
NEW DELHI: The air quality of Delhi showed no signs of improving on Friday and stayed “very poor” despite a number of bans on various activities by the top environment body authorised by the Supreme Court, EPCA. Delhi government and MCDS are working together to fight the pollution, noted the officials.
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research said the AQI will remain in the “upper ranges” of the category for the next three days. “This is mainly due to weather condition as stubble burning is marginal,” it said. “Winds are calm and it is favourable for the stagnation of pollution,” SAFAR website noted. "The emergency action is not something which will bring down the pollution within a day but it is something which will stop the rise of pollution," said a member of EPCA. The Overall Air Quality Index of the national capital was recorded at 368 which falls in the very poor category, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board.
As per the data by Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the PM10 level in
Delhi stood at 333. The SAFAR said the AQI of Delhi-ncr would continue to remain in the upper range of the “very poor” category in the next three days. “This is mainly due to weather conditions as stubble contribution is marginal now. The moisture intrusion over Delhi and surrounding regions due to the westerlies disturbances will increase with effect from November 4 to enhanced holding capacity of the atmosphere resulting in an increase in PM2.5 levels,” the SAFAR website said.
“Winds are calm and it is favourable for the stagnation of pollution. Although upper air winds where transport takes place are from stubble burning
site speed and magnitude is low and hence it is unlikely to impact Delhi air quality significantly,” it added. According to the SAFAR, 9 per cent of PM2.5 pollution in Delhi is caused due to stubble burning. There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation in Delhi and other NCR districts.
Keeping in view the severe condition of air pollution in the capital city, the South Zone on Friday deployed 150 water tankers for sprinkling water in different localities with an aim to settle down the dust. The water tankers have been flagged off from South Zone Headquarters by the Deputy Commissioner Nidhi Shriwastav. NEW DELHI: A citizen's group has written to EPCA suggesting additional steps that could be taken to curb pollution like putting in public domain emission levels from all industries in DelhiNCR and urging employers to encourage office-goers to allow work from home till November 10.
Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category on Friday despite a slew of measures that were implemented in the national Capital ahead of Diwali when a spike in pollution was expected to hit the city.
The citizen's group on Friday said it has committed itself to behavioural change in people to help curb air pollution. In a statement, the group said it has sent a letter to the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA ), urging it take additional steps for curbing pollution level in the city.
"Emission levels from all industries in Delhi-ncr should be put on websites and in the public domain for people to see who's polluting the air. The forecasting model should be transparent and publicly available," reads the
letter. The group has also suggested to the EPCA to employers to encourage office-goers to allow "work from home till November 10" to the extent possible.
The group claimed that waste-to-energy system in the region is "not well regulated" and suggested its closure till November 10. "We are a citizens' movement comprising doctors, educationists, environmental scientists, environmentalists, media professionals, entrepreneurs and home-makers. The research across the world has shown determinant impacts of air pollution on health," the
letter said.