At AQI of 404, Delhi’s air quality remains in ‘severe’ category

New Delhi [India]: The air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘severe’ category on Saturday, as Air Quality Index (AQI) of 404 was recorded at 7:46 am on Saturday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India).

AQI in several areas of Delhi was recorded in the ‘severe’ category, making the overall air quality more toxic.

The AQI in the ITO was recorded at 388 (very poor), while RK Puram logged an AQI of 433 (severe) at 7 am.

Further, the AQI in the Lodhi Road area was recorded at 375, while the Dwarka area and the Airport (Terminal-3) area recorded AQIs at 439 and 423, respectively, at 7 am, as per the data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board.

Air quality at Delhi’s Anand Vihar was recorded at 456 (severe category) at 7 am.

The Air Quality Index from 0 to 100 is considered ‘good’, 100 to 200 ‘moderate’, 200 to 300 ‘poor’, 300 to 400 ‘very poor’ and from 400 to 500 or above ‘severe’.

Several locals have complained of difficulty in breathing and irritation in their eyes due to the toxic air.

Following a significant improvement in the overall AQI in the national capital last week, the CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management), on Saturday revoked the restrictions that were imposed under GRAP 4, permitting trucks and buses except for BS-3 and BS-4 petrol and diesel vehicles to enter the city and lifting the ban on ongoing construction activities.

Restrictions under stages 1 to 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), however, remained in place. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai conducted a meeting on Friday on increasing pollution in the city.

“Some increase in the pollution of Delhi has been noted. We had a meeting regarding it. The incidents of stubble burning are very few now, and the level of pollution is still increasing. Scientists reported 2-3 factors for this. The first is that vehicle pollution’s contribution is 36%.

The second factor is biomass burning. We made some major decisions after seeing this. To control vehicle pollution, we issued the rules of GRAP 3. To control biomass burning, we have directed the related organisations to monitor this especially. especially the MCD, Revenue, DDA, and NDMC, are being given this direction for the fires that are breaking out at various places in the parks,” Gopal Rai said.