Air quality better, `90L fine on polluting units

Delhi recorded a decline in the pollution level on Saturday with the air quality moving from the “very poor” to “poor category” owing to favourable wind speed. The Central Pollution Control Board’s daily bulletin registered the air quality index (AQI) at 283 at 4 pm, down from Friday’s 330. Most of the 37 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded air quality in the poor category.

Government air quality monitoring agency SAFAR said though the wind direction would be favourable for fire plume transport to the Delhi region, the wind speed is “expected to be on the higher side for the next three days, under the influence of a western disturbance”.

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(SAFAR) said the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s pollution had been “very low” over the past couple of days.

The Supreme Courtmandated anti-pollution authority on Saturday said dirty fuel-based industries in Delhi and its suburbs will remain shut till November 11. The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also extended the ban on hot-mix plants and stone-crushers till November 11.

The Delhi government has imposed `90 lakh on polluting industries and those contributing to environmental degradation in industrial estates, an official said on Saturday. Executive engineer and junior engineer of Narela Industrial Area have been suspended for dereliction of duties.